Democracy
The House of Commons
Mr. Green’s Comparative Government
Outline of Lecture
Understanding Democracy
The Idea of Democracy
The Democratic State
Democracy
Understanding The Idea of The Democratic
Democracy Democracy State
Liberal vs. Illiberal
Democracy
Thin Institutions
Popular Democracy
– Citizens participate in elections only
Citizens then become passive cheerleaders
until the next election
– Government “by” the people but not “for”
the people
Thick Institutions
Constitutional Democracy
– Institutional limits on the scope of
government
The rule of law
Madisonian checks and balances
Limits on the executive autonomy
Guarantee of individual and collective rights
Minimal List
Thick Institutions
Constitutional Democracy
– Institutional limits on the scope of
government
The rule of law
Madisonian checks and balances
Limits on the executive autonomy
Guarantee of individual and collective rights
– Government “of,” “by,” and “for” the people
Thick Then Thin
Chronological Development of Democratic Institutions
Developed First Followed By
Liberal Constitutional Popular Democracy
Democracy Democracy
Illiberal Popular Democracy X
Democracy
Understanding
Democracy
Liberal vs. Illiberal Developing
Democracy Democracy
Developing Democracy
Incorporation
– Right to Vote
Developing Democracy
Voting Rights
Universal Male Suffrage Universal Female Suffrage
United States 1870 1920
United Kingdom 1918 1928
France 1848 1919
Germany 1948 1945
Japan 1947 1947
Canada 1918 1918
Italy 1913 1946
Switzerland 1848 1971
Australia 1902 1902
Sweden 1911 1921
Netherlands 1918 1922
Developing Democracy
Incorporation
Representation
– Right to Organize Parties Which Participate
in the Legislature on Equal Terms
Indicator: Shift from majoritarian to proportional
voting systems
Developing Democracy
Incorporation
Representation
Organized Opposition
– Right to Appeal for Votes Against the
Government (“to throw the rascals out”)
Indicator: Acceptance of socialist or social
democratic parties into the government
Understanding
Democracy
Liberal vs. Illiberal Developing Democratic
Democracy Democracy Decision Rules
Minimal List
Earth
Democracy
Understanding The Idea of The Democratic
Democracy Democracy State
The Greeks Thomas John Locke The Rule of
Hobbes Law
J.J. The Alexis de John Stuart
Rousseau Federalist Tocqueville Mill
The Greeks
Athenian Direct
Democracy
– Solon (594 BC)
Council of 400
– Clisthenes (509 BC)
Council of 500
– Pericles (461-429 BC)
Right of All Citizens to
Vote
Solon
Thomas Hobbes
State of Nature =
Government by
Consent
John Locke
Limited government
Liberty and property
Separation of powers
– Executive
– Legislative
Executive prerogative
Right of revolution
The Rule of Law
Law must be
reasonable
– Based on logical and
consistent principles
rather than inviolable
and unchallengeable
traditions.
The Rule of Law, cont.
Law must be reasonable
Law must be equal
– No exceptions and exemptions for elites
– No singling out minorities for disparate
treatment or unique penalties
– tyranny of the majority
Law must be predictable
– No arbitrary changes in societies rules or their
enforcement
– ex post facto laws
Jean Jacques Rousseau
The General Will
– Forced to be Free
Equality
Alexander
Hamilton
James
John Jay
Madison
The Federalist Papers
The Federalist Papers
Separation of Powers
– Horizontal
– Vertical
The Compound Republic
The Compound Republic
Federalism 5
Madison
Separation of Powers (Federalist #51)
– Horizontal
– Vertical
Pluralism (Federalist #10)
– Problem of Faction
Tyranny of the Majority
Competition Among Factions
Alexis de Tocqueville
Tyranny of the an
Egalitarian Majority
Tocqueville 1
Tocqueville 2
John Stuart Mill
Tolerance of opinions
and lifestyles
Representatives and
civil service
– Representative Bodies
Debate
Direct Policy
– Civil Service
Plans and Carries Out
Policy
Proportional representation
Democracy
Understanding The Idea of The Democratic
Democracy Democracy State
Government Election Systems
Systems
Government Systems
Presidential System
– President is head of state and of the
government (executive branch, cabinet)
– Elected separately from legislature
– Possess lawmaking power
Government Systems
Parliamentary System
– The Government
Head of state separate from prime minister
People elect the legislature
Legislative majority selects the prime minister
and appoints or elects the government (cabinet
ministers)
Legislature can remove the prime minister and
government
– Varieties
Single Party Majority: one party wins and
absolute majority of the parliamentary seats.
Majority Coalition: two or more parties agree to
share cabinet posts to form a majority
Government Systems
Presidential-Parliamentary System
– President is head of state
– President and Prime Minister each have
significant powers
Election Systems
President
– Direct Election
– One round
– Two round
– Electoral College
Election Systems
Legislature
– Single Member District (First Past the
Post)
– Two party systems
– Proportional district
– Party list
– Multi party systems
Party Systems
Election Systems
Legislature
– Single Member District (First Past the
Post)
– Two party systems
– Proportional district
– Party list
– Multi party systems
– Mixed Member System
The End