Democracy 7

EN407-313English for Political ScientistsVen.Yota Payutto

Democracy: What is It?Democracy: What is It?

February 26th, 2004February 26th, 2004

Democracy – Basic ElementsDemocracy – Basic Elements

consent of the governed (process)consent of the governed (process)– free and fair elections in which government can free and fair elections in which government can

be defeatedbe defeated– equality of political rightsequality of political rights

protection of individual rights (outcome)protection of individual rights (outcome)– freedom of speech (including free press)freedom of speech (including free press)– civil libertiescivil liberties

Democracy – Basic ElementsDemocracy – Basic Elements

basic elementsbasic elements– consent of the governed (process)consent of the governed (process)– protection of individual rights (outcome)protection of individual rights (outcome)

when is a political system democratic?when is a political system democratic?– continuumcontinuum– can have more or less of the two values abovecan have more or less of the two values above– the point at which a system is a democracy is the point at which a system is a democracy is

contestablecontestable some systems are obviously democraciessome systems are obviously democracies some systems are obviously non-democraticsome systems are obviously non-democratic some systems are in betweensome systems are in between

Democracy -- A ProcessDemocracy -- A Process

Representative Representative (Delegate) (Delegate) DemocracyDemocracy

Direct Direct DemocracyDemocracy

Participatory Participatory DemocracyDemocracy

Representative Representative (Trustee) (Trustee) Democracy Democracy

Opportunities for Opportunities for Mass ParticipationMass Participation

HIGHHIGHLOWLOW

Democracy -- The OutcomesDemocracy -- The Outcomes

Low Low HighHigh

Protection of Protection of Individual RightsIndividual Rights

CommunitarianCommunitarian

Emphasis on Emphasis on General Welfare of General Welfare of the Communitythe Community

LibertarianLibertarian

Emphasis on Limited Emphasis on Limited Government and Government and Rights of the Rights of the IndividualIndividual

MODELS OF DEMOCRACYMODELS OF DEMOCRACYIndividual Rights/Limited Gov’t

General Welfare

High Mass Participation

Low Mass Participation

Majoritarian Majoritarian DemocracyDemocracy

Elite Elite DemocracyDemocracy

Liberal Liberal DemocracyDemocracy

Models of DemocracyModels of Democracy

majoritarian democracymajoritarian democracy most important goal is maximizing mass participationmost important goal is maximizing mass participation high mass participation will result in decisions being high mass participation will result in decisions being

made that maximize the general welfaremade that maximize the general welfare


elite democracyelite democracy most important goal is the general welfaremost important goal is the general welfare requires an elite capable of pursuing the long-term requires an elite capable of pursuing the long-term

interests of society interests of society – actually values low mass participationactually values low mass participation


liberal democracyliberal democracy most important goal is protecting individual rightsmost important goal is protecting individual rights does not prefer low mass participation but may be willing does not prefer low mass participation but may be willing

to accept itto accept it


majoritarian democracymajoritarian democracy most important goal is maximizing mass participationmost important goal is maximizing mass participation high mass participation will result in decisions being high mass participation will result in decisions being

made that maximize the general welfaremade that maximize the general welfare

– majoritarian democratic critiques of other modelsmajoritarian democratic critiques of other models elite democracy – there is no such thing as an elite that is elite democracy – there is no such thing as an elite that is

not self-interested and will look after the good of the not self-interested and will look after the good of the general massesgeneral masses

liberal democracy – emphasis on individual rights is used liberal democracy – emphasis on individual rights is used to limit government in order to protect small, priveleged to limit government in order to protect small, priveleged groupsgroups


elite democracyelite democracy most important goal is the general welfaremost important goal is the general welfare requires an elite capable of pursuing the long-term requires an elite capable of pursuing the long-term

interests of society interests of society – actually values low mass participationactually values low mass participation

– elite democratic critiques of other modelselite democratic critiques of other models liberal democracy – undue focus on individual rights liberal democracy – undue focus on individual rights

limits government’s ability to pursue the general welfare limits government’s ability to pursue the general welfare of the communityof the community

majoritarian democracy – masses are too uninterested, majoritarian democracy – masses are too uninterested, incompetent or, at worst, dangerous to be given control incompetent or, at worst, dangerous to be given control over decision-makingover decision-making


liberal democracyliberal democracy most important goal is protecting individual rightsmost important goal is protecting individual rights does not prefer low mass participation but may be willing does not prefer low mass participation but may be willing

to accept itto accept it

– liberal democratic critiques of other modelsliberal democratic critiques of other models elite democracy – if unchecked, elites will use power to elite democracy – if unchecked, elites will use power to

infringe the rights of individualsinfringe the rights of individuals majoritarian democracy – if unchecked, majority will majoritarian democracy – if unchecked, majority will

infringe the rights of minorities (tyranny of the majority)infringe the rights of minorities (tyranny of the majority)

Models of Democracy – Viewing Models of Democracy – Viewing Democracy Over TimeDemocracy Over Time elite democratselite democrats

– the masses will the masses will alwaysalways be incapable of making decisions for be incapable of making decisions for the long-term common goodthe long-term common good

liberal democratsliberal democrats– elites and the majorities will elites and the majorities will alwaysalways be prone to infringing be prone to infringing

individual rights if given the chanceindividual rights if given the chance

majoritarian democratsmajoritarian democrats– elites will elites will alwaysalways be self-serving be self-serving– masses can learn over time to become better democratic masses can learn over time to become better democratic

citizens citizens if given a meaningful opportunity to do soif given a meaningful opportunity to do so elite and liberal democrats would argue that the risk is too greatelite and liberal democrats would argue that the risk is too great

CLASSIFYING DEMOCRACIESCLASSIFYING DEMOCRACIES

within a range of models incorporating within a range of models incorporating some minimum amount of meaningful some minimum amount of meaningful citizen input and some minimum protection citizen input and some minimum protection of basic rights,of basic rights, there are different models of there are different models of democracydemocracy

choice of models is completely normativechoice of models is completely normative there is no “right” modelthere is no “right” model the best model of democracy is contestablethe best model of democracy is contestable

CLASSIFYING DEMOCRACIES...CLASSIFYING DEMOCRACIES...

typology of models of democracy as a “map” typology of models of democracy as a “map” for comparing democratic systemsfor comparing democratic systems– tells us what to look at in undertaking comparisonstells us what to look at in undertaking comparisons– emphasizes the relative nature of models of emphasizes the relative nature of models of

democracydemocracy democracy as a concept is multi-faceted and complexdemocracy as a concept is multi-faceted and complex

– forces the consideration of two questionsforces the consideration of two questions to what degree are different political systems based on to what degree are different political systems based on

different models of democracy?different models of democracy? to what degree do different political systems look like to what degree do different political systems look like

their underlying model of democracy their underlying model of democracy in practicein practice

Things to Remember...Things to Remember...

there is no one, single, accepted model of there is no one, single, accepted model of democracydemocracy– within a range of basic elements (consent of the within a range of basic elements (consent of the

governed, protection of individual rights), governed, protection of individual rights), democracy means different things to different democracy means different things to different peoplepeople

The State of DemocracyThe State of Democracy

In the Contemporary WorldIn the Contemporary World


Freedom House, Freedom House, Freedom in the World Freedom in the World 20022002– political freedompolitical freedom

freedom to form political partiesfreedom to form political parties open competition in free and fair electionsopen competition in free and fair elections

– civil libertiescivil liberties personal freedoms (e.g. speech, press)personal freedoms (e.g. speech, press) religious, ethnic, linguistic rightsreligious, ethnic, linguistic rights


total countries=192total countries=192electoral democracies=121 (63%)electoral democracies=121 (63%)

– 1987=40%1987=40%

free countries=89 (46%)free countries=89 (46%)many countries are electoral democracies many countries are electoral democracies

without being free!!without being free!!

The State of Democracy Over The State of Democracy Over TimeTime

Status of Freedom, 2002

46%

29%

25%

Free Partly Free

Not Free

Status of Freedom, 1972

29%

25%

46%

Free Partly Free

Not Free


CEE, FSU, 2002

45%

33%

22%

Free Partly Free

Not Free

CEE, FSU, 1972

0%0%

100%

Free Partly Free

Not Free


Sub-Saharan Africa, 2002

23%

46%

31%

Free Partly Free

Not Free

Sub-Saraharan Africa, 1972

5%23%

72%

Free Partly Free

Not Free


Americas, 2002

65%

29%

6%

Free Partly Free

Not Free

Americas, 1972

50%35%

15%

Free Partly Free

Not Free


Western Europe, 2002

99%

1%

Free Partly Free

Western Europe, 1972

72%

16%

12%

Free Partly Free

Not Free


Asia Pacific, 2002

46%

26%

28%

Free Partly Free

Not Free

Asia Pacific, 1972

25%

41%

34%

Free Partly Free

Not Free


Middle East, North Africa, 2002

6%22%

72%

Free Partly Free

Not Free

Middle East, North Africa, 1972

11%16%

73%

Free Partly Free

Not Free


top rankingstop rankings– 34 countries (all Western industrialized 34 countries (all Western industrialized

countries) including...countries) including... AustraliaAustralia CanadaCanada FranceFrance GermanyGermany UKUK United StatesUnited States


worst rankingsworst rankings– 9 worst9 worst

BurmaBurma CubaCuba IraqIraq North KoreaNorth Korea LibyaLibya Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia SudanSudan SyriaSyria TurkmenistanTurkmenistan


the number of free democratic societies is the number of free democratic societies is growinggrowing– however, the number of electoral democracies however, the number of electoral democracies

has grown has grown fasterfaster than the number of free than the number of free democratic societiesdemocratic societies

– electoral democracy does not equal free electoral democracy does not equal free democracydemocracy

Democracy 7

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