1. Become familiar with evidence on relationship between democracy and:

1. Economic class balance/ structure.

2. Education.

3. Religion.

4. Political Culture.

5. Facilitating Events.

2. Assess persuasiveness of causal links.

Plan for Today:Structural Preconditions for Democracy

Class Structure

A certain balance of relations among classes is necessary.◦Esp. middle class/ bourgeoisie (Aristotle,

Moore). Argued middle class “moderate” for various

reasons – sheer numbers or position “in middle”.

Bourgeoisie crucial due to autonomous income.

◦Powerful landowning class can hinder.

Types of Structural Preconditions

Education

EducationEconomic growth

Democracy

Relationship among education, economic growth, & democracy

Rowen’s prediction based on education growth

Predicted 74-75 “free” countries (Freedom House measures) by 2020.

Actually 87 “free” countries by those measures in 2010.

EducationEconomic growth

Democracy

Directly

Indirectly

Types of Structural Preconditions

Religion

1988: 39/46 democratic countries dominant Christian

Reasons? ◦ Emphasis on autonomy and dignity of

individual? ◦ Separation between church and state?

Religion: Christianity generally?

Pre-1900: ¾ of democratic countries. Catholicism considered hindrance until 3rd

wave.

Religion: Protestantism specifically?

Pre-1960s: Catholic Church associated with powerful elites in society.◦ Mid-1960s: Church began to oppose

authoritarian regimes (“liberation theology”)◦ Influence on Brazil, Chile, Philippines, Poland

transitions.

Religion: Changes in Catholic Church

Persistent set of undemocratic countries. Possible difficulties reconciling restrictions

on participation with democratic principles.

Yet 2/3 of Muslims live in democratic regimes.

Manji: Problem is with Islamist political ideology.

Ibrahim: problem not with Islam but history and rulers on Arab peninsula.

Religion: Islamic exception?

Considered mostly unimportant now.

Religion

Types of Structural Preconditions

Civic Culture

“Civic political culture” necessary for stable democracy.

Citizens:◦ Feel competent◦ Have urge to participate◦ Are tolerant of diversity◦ Are positive towards their political institutions

Problem: causal direction between democracy and civic culture?

Almond & Verba, The Civic Culture (1963)

Authors on pro-democratic political culture

Alexis de Tocqueville: Democracy in America

Robert Putnam: Making Democracy Work “civic community” in northern Italy

Relationship between political culture and democracy

Civic Culture Democracy

1. Economic crisis2. Losing a major military

conflictFacilitating Historical Events

Legitimacy in democracies vs. non-democracies

Performance as source of legitimacy for recent authoritarian regimes.

Legitimacy to particular government rather than procedures of regime.

Legitimacy in democracies vs. non-democracies

Democratic regimes: legitimacy of regime rules and procedures as well as current government.

Economic Crisis◦ E.g. oil crises 1973-4 and 1979

Oil-importing countries suffered. Loss of Major Military Conflict

◦ Argentina (Falklands-Malvinas)◦ Greece (Cyprus)◦ Portugal (colonial wars)◦ USSR (Afghanistan)

Facilitating Historical Events

Conclusion