Democracies autocracies & transitions
Universiteit van Amsterdam
73220021FY
Including: Przeworski, Sen 1999, Clark & Golder 2018, Gandhi 2008, Kendall-Taylor Frantz
and Wright 2017, Gerschewski 2013, King 2013, Ang 2018, Bunce & wolchik 2010, Levitsky
& Way 2002, Lipset and Seymour 1959, Geddes 2007, Teorell 2010, Gunitsky 2008, Levitsky
& Way 2006, Bermeo 2016, Zoltan, Timur, Scheppele 2022
,Readings lecture 1
Przeworski
Elections regarded as normal, taken for granted. Presidential systems winner rarely receives
more than 50%, parliamentary multi-party systems largest share is rarely higher than 40%.
Most winners leave us disappointed with the performance. In other realsm of life we adjust
our expectations on previous experience, but not in elections. Irrational?
In democracies rising feelings of fear of populism and extremist racist parties. Deep
divisions, creating polarization. Crisis of democracy/dissatisfaction with the institution of
elections. Referendums are regarded as an instrumwnt of direct democracy, regarded by
some as superior to reprpesentative democracy.
Fascist parties, unlike those in 1930 do not advocate replacing elections by some oth4er way
of selecting rulers, returning power usurped by elites back to the people. Trump e.d
replacing a failed and corrupt political establishment with a government ruled by you, the
people. Marine le pen did the same.
Dissatisfaction with the results of elections is not the same as dissatisfaction with elections
as a mechanism of collective decision making. However, satisfaction with democracy is
higher among people who voted for the winner. But generally, a large majority values the
mechanism of elections even when we do not like the outcome.
Responsiveness and accountability. Elections provide governments with instructions to
minimize dissatisfaction, whether governments follow these instructions (responsiveness),
and whether elections serve to remoce governmnts that do not (accountability) is
questionable.
Churchillian: elections are ugly in each way, but there is no better method of selecing rulers.
Politics has limits in shaping and transforming societies. Knowing the limits is a useful guide
to political action. Comparisons between observed and counterfactual states of affairs are
based on assumptions with inconclusive results.
Elections have to be competitive. China and Russia have never experienced change in office
between parties as a result of elections. The fact that an election is held does not mean
people have a choice, one party stems leave no room for change. If an election is not
competitive, it threatens leaders.
Divergence between ideology and reality dynamic of conflict, repression for opposition.
,Relation between property and power as axis organizing political conflicts.
When elections are truly competitive, they can be considered democratic.
Sen 1999
Democracy as a universal value
Sen discusses democracy as a universal value and challenges the arguments against its
universality. He argues that democracy holds intrinsic, instrumental, and constructive value
for human societies. He highlights the importance of political freedom, the role of
democracy in fostering political incentives and accountability, and its contribution to the
formation of societal values and priorities.
He refutes claims that cultural differences or economic circumstances undermine the
universality of democracy. He specifically addresses the notion of Asian values and argues
that historical and cultural diversity within Asia contradicts the idea that Asian cultures are
inherently incompatible with democracy.
the strength of democracy as a universal value lies in its functional roles in contemporary
societies, irrespective of cultural or regional factors. It suggests that the debate should focus
on the practical merits of democracy rather than cultural taboos or presumed
predispositions. Sens perspective is that democracys claim to universality remains robust
and relevant in todays world.
§ Intro
Most significant development of 20th c.: rise of democracy
Democracy originated in Greece
Democracy bolstered by many developments: magna carta, French and American
revolutions, widening franchise of Europe and N. America, in 20th c. it became normal form
of government
Country does not have to be deemed fit for democracy rather it has to become fit through
democracy
Democratic governance is now taken to be generally right
§ The India experience
India survives and functions remarkably well as a political unit within a democratic system, it
is held together by a working democracy. It has to deal with many languages and religions
§ Democracy and economic development
Lee hypothesis: nondemocratic countries are better at bringing economic development
No empirical evidence
Look at causal process of economic growth
Helpful policies: openness to competition, use of international markets, public provision of
incentives for investment and export, high level of literacy and school, successful land
reforms, social opportunities that widen participation
, Exercise of political rights can make a real difference to political incentives that operate on a
govt.
No substantial famine has ever occurred in any independent and democratic country with a
relatively free press. Countries can respond well because a responsive government
intervenes to alleviate hunger, avoiding famine
The positive role of political and civil rights applies to the prevention of economic and social
disasters in general
Need political incentives, not just economic incentives
§ Functions of democracy
Political freedom is part of human freedom in general , intrinsic value
Democracy has instrumental value in enhancing hearing that people get in expressing and
supporting their claims to political attention
Practice of democracy gives citizens opportunity to learn from one another and set
priorities
Effectiveness of open dialogue is underestimate in assessing social and political problems.
Can decrease high fertility
Political rights, including freedom of expression and discussion, are not only pivotal in
inducing social responses to economic needs, they are also central to the conceptualization
of economic needs themselves.
§ Universality of values
Plurality of values
Implicit presumption that biggest attitudinal shift toward democracy has occurred in 20 th c
As democracy spread, its adherents have grown, not shrunk
Argument: poor people have interest in bread, not democracy
§ Protective role of democracy is important for poor
§ Little evidence that when given the choice, poor people prefer to reject democracy
§ The argument from cultural differences
Regional differences that lead to lack of democracy; ‘Asian values’ – discipline not freedom.
Not a valid claim. Also Asia is huge
Also Plato wrote about discipline
Especially middle eastern Islam is portrayed as intolerant and hostile to individual freedom.
But there is variety within that tradition
§ Where the debate belongs
Readings lecture 2
Clark & Golder 2018
Democracy and dictatorship: conceptualization and measurement
