Download CP.2.1.IntroToAidsAndDemoc

WHAT MAKES THE ADVANCED DEMOCRACIES
DIFFERENT FROM OTHER COUNTRIES?
• What makes them economically advanced?
• GDP at >$12K PPP, per cap; service-dominant economy
• High political institutionalization, the rule of law, much
private property, thick civil society, much social capital, and
the framework to stay advanced
• Where are they? Why mostly in the global North? Are we
going to have more AIDs over time?
• Do they share the same culture and history?
• Do they all get along all the time?
• Some areas of shared challenges we’ll tackle in the coming
sessions: (1) Postmaterialism, identity politics, and what
people want; (2) Globalization and the welfare state; (3)
Global post-industrialization and competition
• What kind of political similarities? (next slides)
WHAT MAKES THE ADVANCED DEMOCRACIES
DIFFERENT FROM OTHER COUNTRIES?
What do all democracies have?
• mechanisms of accountability
• civil liberties and rights
• competitive & open elections
• the rule of law and citizenship
• a vibrant civil society that includes
independent political parties, ngo’s with
autonomy and information, and a free media
• a democratic and tolerant political culture
WHERE DO AIDs INSTITUTIONALLY DIFFER
• What are the biggest tradeoffs democracies make in choosing
institutions? What core democratic values go into different
institutional arrangements? How well are these choices thought out?
Some things to think about: How important is (a) majority rule, (b)
minority protections and inclusion, (c) liberties and rights, (d)
deliberation, (e) informed participation in big decisions, (f) protection
against tyranny, (g) responsiveness, (h) timeliness of change, (i) similar
protections and policies for all or subnational soverignty?
• How difficult should it be to amend a constitution, and how specific
should this document be? To what extent should courts (through
judicial review) be able to override other democratic institutions?
• How many rights, civil or otherwise? How much equality? How much
liberty? How much private ownership? How much regulation? How
much of this should be fixed in a Constitution?
• Presidents or parliaments: What’s better? Which centralizes power
more and how separate should they be? Are checks and balances a
good idea always? How many legislative houses?
• Federalist vs. unitary systems? Is dividing national power best?
WHAT MAKES THE AIDS DEMOCRATIC? (& WHAT
DOESN’T?)
How do the AIDS vary with respect to political parties and electoral systems?
• Better to have one party, two parties, or many parties?
• Should voters be directly selecting parties or individual representatives and
top govt. leaders?
• What are some of the big differences between the most common electoral
systems:
Single member districts (the US uses SMDs, aka plurality or first-past-the-post
elections)
Ranked voting (aka instant run-offs)
Proportional representation (aka PR)
Mixed systems (Using PR and SMD at the same time is the most common)
• Pros/Cons of SMD? It builds consensus & increases accountability, but it leaves
a lot of voters with no representation. And it frequently distorts the majority
rules principle b/c of gerrymandering (e.g., US House 2012, US Senate 2014)
• Pros and Cons of PR? The legislature more closely resembles actual voting and
more parties get a say. A big question always is: what threshold for reps.
– But extreme parties can have a lot of power
– Coalitions, and not voters, may determine who governs
WHAT MAKES THE AIDS DEMOCRATIC? (& WHAT
DOESN’T?)
• Fixed terms or potentially early elections? How about votes of
no confidence that require a chosen replacement. How about
staggered elections? Is it better to be able to replace what seems
to be a weak government? Why is it often easier to agree to
bring down a government than it is to find a replacement?
• Direct democracy or republicanism? What are the pros and cons
of referenda, initiatives, and recall powers?