THIRD WAVE DEMOCRATIZATIONWorld History

STINGER

1. What vocabulary do you need to know to understand the graph?

2. What is the purpose of the graph?

3. What information does the graph provide?

4. Identify at least two patterns in the graph.

5. Explain why those patterns exist.

6. What does this tell you about the popularity of the concept of democracy throughout the world?

THREE WAVES OF DEMOCRATIZATION

First Wave Enlightenment

Europe and North America

Second Wave Post War

Africa and Asia

Third Wave Former soviet republics

Eastern Europe

Africa

STRUGGLES WITH DEMOCRATIZATION

Failure to consolidate democracy Corruption

Nigeria

Clientele states

Consolidation of power within a single party Mexico

Russia

Backsliding into autocracy Taking advantage of instability

Using the democratic system to consolidate power.

A FOURTH WAVE?

Arab Spring Egypt

Libya

Syria

Iraq?

Afganistan (resurgence of the Taliban)

Palestinian statehood?

Fall of Saudi Monarchy?

DEMOCRATIZATION ACTIVITY

You will be given a country to democratize.

All information comes from the CIA Factbook Background

Economy

Religion

International Conflict

Read the information in order to make informed decisions about what kind of democracy to create

ROLE OF SUBGOVERNMENTS

Confederal Sub-governments have power and give some to national

government

Ex: United States under Articles of Confederation

United Nations

Pros: Local control, allows for diversity of policy

Cons: no national control, subgovernments responsible for enforcement, difficult taxation situation

ROLE OF SUBGOVERNMENTS

Federal Subgovernments and national government share power

Spheres of policy influence for each level

Subgovernments and national governments act as checks on each other’s power

Ex United States

Mexico

Russia (Partially)

Pros: Allows for diversity of policy, laboratories of democracy, allows for structure of national legislature to reflect geographic diversity

Cons: conflict between subgovernments and national government, inconsistent interpretations of national policy

ROLE OF SUBGOVERNMENTS

Unitary All power at the national level

Provinces have no autonomy

Ex Canada

Great Britain

China

Pros: consistency of national policy in all parts of country, consistent interpretation of policy

Cons: does not allow for diversity, does not provide natural means to construct national legislature

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATURE

Parliamentary Executive is chosen from majority party or majority coalition in the legislature

Examples: Germany, Switzerland, Canada

While some parliamentary systems allow for election of individuals by district (Britain), most are party list systems

Voter simply chooses party

Party has list of members by seniority

Party gains # of seats equal to percentage of vote

Most often leads to multiparty system

Pros: policies of majority party pass easily, legislation is swift and decisive, party list voting method allows for simplicity of voting choice

Cons: minority party has few checks on passage of legislation, coalitions are fragile if there is no majority party

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATURE

Presidential Executive elected separately from legislature

Examples: United States, Mexico, Nigeria

Checks and balances between the legislature and the executive

Executive may or may not belong to the majority party or coalition

President typically much stronger than the Prime Minister

Pros: checks and balances, more voter interaction in the system

Cons: legislation is slow and messy, executive action may be limited, conflict between the executive and the legislature is common

RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN EXECUTIVE AND LEGISLATURE

Mixed Parliamentary system with an additional executive to act in international

matters

Examples: France and Russia

Prime minister chosen by parliament, president chosen by people

President may have sweeping executive powers such as Direct referendum

Dissolution of the legislature

Pros: allows for both democratic and autocratic features of government, allows for swift and decisive action in the legislature and in the executive

Cons: Executive power can easily overpower the legislature, executives may collude to overtake other branches.

LEGISLATURES

Unicameral One chamber

Ex: China

Pros: swift and decisive executive action

Cons: little place for diversity of belief

Bicameral Two chambers

Membership usually based on different things in different chambers

One chamber might represent Subgovernments

Ethnic groups

Social classes

Pros: checks and balances on legislation, legislation that is passed indicates broad agreement

Cons: SLOW, legislation might be lengthy and confusing

JUDICIARIES

Independent or aligned? Independent judiciaries usually have power of judicial review to

ensure that legislation is constitutional US Supreme Court

French Constitutional Court

Aligned judiciaries are dependent on the legislature and/or executive and cannot rule against them.

Elected or appointed Elected: ensures democratic checks on judiciary

Appointed: allows judiciary to make unpopular decisions to protect constitutional framework

ELECTORAL RULES

Requirements based on ages, residency, etc

Frequency of elections 2 years

4 years

5 years

Whenever the prime minister calls one

Ability to run for re-election Unlimited

One term only

Two terms only

CONSTITUTIONAL CHECKS

Constitutional Checks used by different democracies Judicial review before or after passage of legislation

Veto

Override Veto

Dissolution of legislation

Vote of no confidence in Prime Minister

Impeachment of officials

Referendum (vote directly by people)

PROTECTION OF ETHNIC MINORITIES, RELIGIOUS MINORITIES, AND WOMEN

Ways to protect minorities Constitutional provisions that protect and maintain rights.

Reserved seats in the legislature

Special rights

Official Areas with partial autonomy (Native Americans)

PROTECTION OF RIGHTS THROUGH LISTS

Lists we have previously discussed Magna Carta

English Bill of Rights

US Bill of Rights

Universal Declaration of Human Rights

SO WHAT DO WE DO?

Chose a relationship between subgovernments and national government and explain why.

Confederal

Federal

Unitary

Chose a relationship between the executive and the legislature and explain why.

Parliamentary

Preseidntial

Blended

Design a legislature and explain why. Unicameral

Bicameral

Districts?

SO WHAT DO WE DO?

Design a judiciary and explain why? Independent or aligned?

Elected or appointed?

Design an electoral system and explain why. Requirements

How often?

Individual or party list

How often renewable

SO WHAT DO WE DO?

Protect your constitution. Choose 2 checks on government power and explain why.

Judicial Review

Veto

Override veto

Referendum

Vote of no confidence

Impeachment

Dissolution of legislature

Protect your ethnic minorities. Choose one protection and explain why. Reserved seats

Special rights

Official areas w/ partial autonomy

Write ten constitutional protections of rights and explain why.