What is democracy?

DO NOWEach table group has a famous quote about democracy. First, interpret the quote in your own words. What is this person saying about democracy? Next, come up with three questions about democracy suggested by the quote. You must include at least one practical question relating to the machinery of government.Be prepared to present your ideas to the class.

Independent research tasks

• Find a “study buddy” and read the chapter overview on Democracy from ‘Politics’ (Heywood: 2007)

• Devise a table or infographic comparing the advantages and disadvantages of direct and representative democracy. List as many as possible.

• Prepare yourselves for Thursday’s News Quiz.

Learning objectivesTo describe different models of democracy in the ancient and modern worldTo evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of different models of democracyTo relate political practice in the United Kingdom to the historic development of democracy

What are the different models of democracy?

Democracy (political equality)

Direct democracy (popular participation)

C6-5th BCE

Representative democracy

(popular control)C18th CE-

Ancient Greece: four basic types of polis (rule)

Type of rule DefinitionAutocracytrans. “rule of the one”

Power is concentrated in the hands of a single individual, for example in a monarchy

Aristocracytrans. “rule of the best”

Power is concentrated in a the hands of a narrow social elite

Oligarchytrans. “rule of the few”

Power is concentrated in the hands of a small group

Democracytrans. “rule of the many”

Power is dispersed among the majority of the population

How did direct democracy work in ancient Athens?

• Free adult males (~10%-15% of the total population) convened regularly in an Assembly

• The Assembly debated new laws, heard court cases and appointed military leaders

• A Council was draw from the Assembly; councilors were drawn by lot and served for two years at a time

• The Council proposed laws, dealt with foreign governments (e.g. other Greek city-states)

Solon, 638-554 BCE

What are the advantages of democracy?

• Democracy establishes and protects individual and minority rights

• Democracy limits and controls government power

• Democracy spreads power more widely• Democracy encourages popular participation• Democracy enhances the dignity of its citizens1. How well does direct democracy achieve each of these aims? 2. Where does direct democracy fall short of these aims? 3. What other limitations does it suffer from?

What are the different models of democracy?

Democracy (political equality)

Direct democracy (popular participation)

C6-5th BCE

Representative democracy

(popular control)C18th CE-

What was the ‘Second Wave’ of Democratization?

Democracy was revived as a basis for political legitimacy during the ‘Long’ Eighteenth Century• 1689 ‘Glorious Revolution’ in England• 1776-83 American War of Independence• 1789 French Revolution• 1832 Great Reform Act in Britain

What was new about this model?

• Whig MP and writer Edmund Burke coined the term ‘Trustee model’ of representation in 1774

• According to Burke, members of parliament were bound to serve not as delegates but as representatives

What is representative democracy?

Majoritarian democracy

(majority rule)

Liberal democracy (individual rights)

Representative democracy

(popular control)

Key features of Liberal Representative Democracy

Features Definition

Rule of Law All groups in society, including those in government, are bound by the law.

Accountability (Vertical)

The government is accountable to the people through regular, free and fair elections.

Accountability (Horizontal)

There is a clear separation of powers so that no party or group can completely dominate the machinery of government.

Participation All citizens are entitled to vote and encouraged to take an active role in determining the make-up of their government .

Political rights Citizens enjoy a range of political rights, including freedom of speech and assembly, which underpin their ability to hold the government to account.

Minority rights A special class of political rights which protect minority groups from persecution

What are the advantages of democracy?

• Democracy establishes and protects individual and minority rights

• Democracy limits and controls government power• Democracy spreads power more widely• Democracy encourages popular participation• Democracy enhances the dignity of its citizens

1. How well does representative democracy achieve each of these aims?

2. Where does representative democracy fall short of these aims?

3. What other limitations does it suffer from?

The Global Expansion and Recession of Democracy

1974-2012

The ‘Third Wave’ of Democratization

Study the data sheets you have been given and answer the following questions: • What percentage of states worldwide were democratic in

1974? What percentage were democratic by 2012?• Why was there a sudden wave of democratization in the

period 1991-99?• Which regions of the world are the most democratic (as at

2012)? What might explain this?• Which regions of the world are the least democratic (as at

2012)? What might explain this?

The Global Expansion of Democracy, 1974-2012

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

-83

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

2005

2007

2009

2011

15.0%

25.0%

35.0%

45.0%

55.0%

65.0%

75.0%

Chart Title

Electoral Democracies Liberal Democracies

Democracy by Region, January 2013

Eur/Anglo LAC EE+FSU Asia Pacific Is. SS Africa MENA0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100 100

85

63

38

83

37

21

100

67

43

21

75

22

5

Democracy

Liberal Democracy

% o

f tot

al

Global Trends in Freedom, 1974-2012

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0

4.474.31

4.243.85

3.64 3.483.22 3.30 3.31

5.05 4.84 4.76

4.354.08 3.89

3.613.70 3.69

World Developing World

Year

Regional Trends in Freedom, 1974-2012

19741976

19781980

1982-19831985

19871989

19911993

19951997

19992001

20032005

20072009

2011

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

4.0

4.5

5.0

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0

6.19

3.81

2.37

1.94

3.70

2.62

2.42 2.39

4.42

4.193.86

3.51

5.45 5.36

4.444.41

6.50

4.50

5.17 5.175.28 5.32

5.505.16

CEE LAC Asia-Pacific SS Africa FSU MENA

Year

What type of democracy exists in the UK today?

Liberal democracy (individual rights)

Representative democracy

(popular control)

Parliamentary democracy

(elected parliament )

STUDENT RESOURCES

Democracy is . . .

“government of the people, by the people and for the people . . .”

Abraham Lincoln

Democracy is . . .

“nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine.”

Thomas Jefferson

Democracy is . . .

“the worst form of government, except all the other forms that have been tried from time to time.”

Winston Churchill

Democracy is . . .

“a device that ensures we are governed no better than we deserve.”

George Bernard Shaw

Democracy is . . .

“a liberty which does not infringe on the liberty nor encroach on the rights of others; a liberty which maintains strict discipline, and makes law its guarantee and the basis of its exercise. This alone is true liberty; this alone can produce true democracy.”

Chiang Kai-Shek

Key features of liberal democracyDimension Type Measures

1. State Effectiveness Good Governance Government Effectiveness (WB)Regulatory Quality (WB)

2. Rule of Law Good Governance Rule of Law (WB)

3. Horizontal Accountability/Corruption Control

Good Governance Control of Corruption (WB)Corruption Perceptions Index (TI)

4. Competition Democratic Procedure Political Rights (FH)Voice and Accountability (WB)

5. Participation Democratic Procedure Political Rights (FH)Voter Turnout Rates

6. Vertical Accountability Democratic Procedure Political Rights (FH)Voice and Accountability (WB)

7. Freedom Democratic Content Political Rights (FH)Civil Liberties (FH)Voice and Accountability (WB)

8. Equality Democratic Content Political Rights (FH)Civil Liberties (FH)Gini Coefficient

9. Responsiveness Democratic Results Public Opinion Surveys