Democratic Elections Versus Elections Without Democracy

7/29/2019 Democratic Elections Versus Elections Without Democracy

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PS 335 DEMOCRACY AND ELECTIONS LECTURE SERIES: R.S. DAMIAN

DEMOCRATIC ELECTIONS AND ELECTIONS WITHOUT

DEMOCRACY

LECTURE

ByRESPICIUS SHUMBUSHO DAMIAN

Are all elections democratic? Some say yes, but.Think of Gaetano Mosca-Rules, Joseph

Schumpeter-shaping the choice of electorates

Question: Is it possible to have elections without democracy? Is it possible to have democracy

without elections?

Democracy without ElectionElections alone are not guarantors of democracy. Scholars like Levitsky and

Way (2002) have suggested that even dictators use elections to justify theirlegitimacy in multiparty states. When this happens in a multiparty state, it iscalled Competitive Authoritarianism. Under competitive authoritarianism,dictators and authoritarian leaders use state resources to tempter withelections so that they retain their stay in power.

Michael Bratton argues that we can have elections without democracy, but wecannot have democracy without elections. Democratic elections are thereforefundamental components of healthy democracy. The same, the holding ofelections, which are undemocratic, suggest that there might be elections

without democracy. We therefore need to explore the value and features ofdemocratic elections and undemocratic elections.

To be called democratic, elections must be free and fair. The assumption isthat, development efforts cannot succeed without a legitimate anddemocratically elected government that is responsive and accountable to itscitizens. Therefore, free and fair elections provide an important means foradvancing democratization and encourage political participation forcitizens. Free and fair elections can also be a primary tool to foster politicalopenings and encourage political harmony. In is only through the electoralprocesses where political parties and civic groups have chance tomobilize and organize supporters and share policy alternative with the publicthrough political debate and dialogue. Free and fair elections are vital sincethey allow people in representative democracies to determine future politicaldirections, they allow for smooth power transfer.


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Scholars have used different factors, models, and concepts to explain whichelections may become democratic and which elections may exist withoutdemocracy.

Guy Hermert (1978), Elections without Choice-State ControlledElections

Guy Hermert (1978:3) uses three criteria, namely; freedom of voters,competition between candidates, and the effect of elections ongovernment policies. On basis of the criteria, he identifies two types ofelections. Classical elections: allow for freedom of voters, allow the competition

between candidates, and have significant effect on government policies. Inmost cases result in alternation of government and shifts in policies is

possible. Non-classical Elections: Do not allow for freedom of voters,

competition between candidates, and have no significant effect ongovernment policies. These may also be sub-classifies as Non-ClassicalSemi-Competitive, and Non-Classical One Party Elections. Neo classicalelections in both one party and multiparty systems may be differentlycompetitive or restrictive (but not like classical elections) depending onthe extent to which they respect freedoms of voters and encouragecompetition between parties and candidates.

According to Guy Hermert, the opportunity that the voter has (voter freedom)determines whether the elections should be regarded as controlled electionsor free elections. These opportunities include (i) having his franchiserecognized through registration, (ii) right to vote without segregation, (iii),casting ballot without external hindrance, (iv) deciding how to vote, evenspoiling a ballot without external pressure, (v) expecting his ballot to becounted.

Andreas Scheduler (1964), In Elections without Choice: The Menu

of Manipulation-He argues that there is a continuum of choices between ElectoralDemocracy and Electoral Authoritarianism. He argues that along thechain of democratic choices, there are normative premises of democraticchoice, which fall under different dimensions of choice (purpose of choice,range of choice, formation of preference, choice agent, and aggregation ofpreferences, expression of preferences, and the consequence of choice). At theother side, there are strategies that electoral authoritarianism use to


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manipulate elections and violate norms (of democratic elections). Each of thenorms under the continuum of choice can be manipulated as shown in hisContinuum of Choice- The Menu of Manipulation.

Stephen Levitsky and Lucan Way (2002), Election withoutDemocracy: The Rise of Competitive Authoritarianism

In their article, the terms The Rise of Competitive Authoritarianism todescribe the violation of democratic rules in elections held by modernmultiparty states (which claim to be building democracy). He argues that thesestates view formal democratic institutions (including elections) as a means ofobtaining and exercising power where incumbent regimes often violate rulesthat the regimes lack minimum standards to qualify them as democracies. Inthat case, the rising is competitive authoritarianism.


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Democratic regimes have four criteria;i. Executives and legislatures are chosen through open, free and fair

electionsii. All adults possess the right to vote,

iii. Political rights are broadly protected, andiv. Elected authorities possess real power to govern

In competitive authoritarian regimes, these criteria are violated. Instead ofbuilding competitive democracy, these states are building competitiveauthoritarianism.

Features of Competitive Authoritarianism/Why no democracydespite elections

i. Violation of four criteria of democracy (mention above) is common andfrequent and thus create uneven field between government andopposition

ii. Incumbents routinely abuse state resources, deny the oppositionadequate media coverage, harass opposition candidates and theirsupporters, and in some cases manipulate election results(gerrymandering).

iii. The governments in power attempt to restrict contestation in theelectoral arena (other arenas are the legislature, the judiciary, and themedia). In competitive authoritarian regimes may restrict electoral

contestation through Non existence or non contested elections Election competition eliminated either de jure (formal) or de facto

(not formal).iv. Opposition doesnt present electoral threat to the incumbent and

elections are non competitivev. Elections are regularly held, but bitterly fought, characterized with

fraudsvi. Media use by oppositional parties is restricted. It may be state owned,

heavily censored, systematically repressed, or punished due tocriticizing the government and thus constraining both freedom ofspeech, expression, and information.

vii. The governments subordinate both the independent EMBs andindependent judiciary (through several ways including extortion andcooptation) on matters related to elections.

Features of Democratic/Free and Fair elections


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The term free and fair has become a catchphrase that is used byelection observers to rate the democratic quality of elections in modernelectoral processes.However, sometimes the accreditation of elections as freeand fair may not reflect what has been happening on ground during elections. Freeness of elections means the situation where both the electorate choice isnot constrained. It means a free ballot where all the adult people are able toexercise their choice. Equally, all voices and political views are freelyrepresented at the polls without intimidation or any restrictions that mayinterfere universal suffrage. According to Guy Hermert (1968), it implies thatany external physical or psychological forces should not impinge the decisionof an individual during voting. An individual is free to vote for a candidate, orparty s/he wants, not to vote, or even spoil his/her vote.

Equally, on the side of candidates and political parties, free elections require

that all qualifying adults are free to be voted for and hold political officeregardless of the gender, economic or social class, and any factor that couldunfairly exclude a person from accessing public office.

Fairness of the election means existence of a free playground for candidatesand political parties competing for public offices. Fair elections require that allthe candidates and political parties have equal access to resources that allowthem to stand for the competition. This includes the access to finance, media,security, public facility, or any other resources that determine competitivepowers during elections.

The Key Features of Free and Fair Elections (May Need to Read Hague Rodand Martin Harrop (2001)There are two categories of Features/Criteria(1) Related to freeness (freedoms and rights of citizens andcandidates)ii. Every qualifying citizen has a right to vote in elections without any

discrimination (electoral suffrage)iii. Every citizen has a right to register as a voter and run for public officeiv.

Secret ballot-voters have freedom to vote in secretv. Freedom of voters to complain, to refrain from voting, and even spoil the

votevi. There must be free sources of information for the electorate to receive

unbiased information-including free pressvii. Every citizen who qualifies for public office has a right to be nominated

and compete for public officeviii. Freedoms of voters including freedom of speech, association, and

assembly should be protected by law


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(2) Related to Fairness of Elections, or Level Playing Fieldix. There should be a free and impartial, and non partisan Election

Management Body (EMB)x. Electorate Equality expressed in terms of one man one vote

xi. All parties and candidates should have equal and unlimited access to themedia

xii. There must be fair electoral laws well protected by the constitution-lawsmust not be prohibitive e.g. in terms of requirements to access electoralrace

xiii. Accessibility of the polling stationsxiv. Balanced reporting of policies and campaigns by different candidates and

political parties by the mediaxv. Open and transparent counting and tallying of election results

xvi. Equitable, and non-coercive treatment of parties, candidates, and votersby the government and its institutions such as the police, military, andjudiciary.

Question: Where does Tanzanian Elections sit in terms of ensuringdemocratic progress?

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Democratic Elections Versus Elections Without Democracy