POLYARCHY
Introduction:
Robert Dahl created the term ”polyarchy” in order to describe those regimes that come
closest to democracy. He has indicated that, because of the normative and idealistic nature
of democracy, the term polyarchy should be used instead to refer to regimes that come
closest to the ideal of democracy.
Concept of polyarchy:
Dahl studied democracy and found that in practice there are no fully democratised regimes.
He chose to investigate regimes which were largely democratic and called them polyarchies.
He defines polyarchies as regimes which are not completely democratised, but has been
substantially popularised and liberalised, highly inclusive and extensively open to public
contestation.
According the Dahl the following were countries in 1969 which were fully inclusive
polyarchies:
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Canada
Italy
According the Dahl the following were countries in 1969 which were near polyarchies:
Turkey
Venezuela
Colombia
Cyprus
Malaysia
The purpose of his classification is to point out that polyarchies may develop or even regress
over time to a less polyarchic form.
Origins and development of polyarchies:
Dahl’s theory focuses on the conditions that contribute towards the development of
polyarchic regimes:
1. Historical sequence of the origin and development of polyarchy
According to Dahl there are three paths along which a hegemonic (autocratic, despotic,
totalitarian) regime can be changed to a polyarchy:
Introduction:
Robert Dahl created the term ”polyarchy” in order to describe those regimes that come
closest to democracy. He has indicated that, because of the normative and idealistic nature
of democracy, the term polyarchy should be used instead to refer to regimes that come
closest to the ideal of democracy.
Concept of polyarchy:
Dahl studied democracy and found that in practice there are no fully democratised regimes.
He chose to investigate regimes which were largely democratic and called them polyarchies.
He defines polyarchies as regimes which are not completely democratised, but has been
substantially popularised and liberalised, highly inclusive and extensively open to public
contestation.
According the Dahl the following were countries in 1969 which were fully inclusive
polyarchies:
Australia
Austria
Belgium
Canada
Italy
According the Dahl the following were countries in 1969 which were near polyarchies:
Turkey
Venezuela
Colombia
Cyprus
Malaysia
The purpose of his classification is to point out that polyarchies may develop or even regress
over time to a less polyarchic form.
Origins and development of polyarchies:
Dahl’s theory focuses on the conditions that contribute towards the development of
polyarchic regimes:
1. Historical sequence of the origin and development of polyarchy
According to Dahl there are three paths along which a hegemonic (autocratic, despotic,
totalitarian) regime can be changed to a polyarchy:
