Transcript 2-week-sept-13-democracy

Democracy, Law, and the State
Max Cameron
Poli 332
The Meaning of Democracy
• Etymology: demos (people) + kratos (rule) = rule
of the people
• Electoral democracy: majority rule, limited
(importance of rights, especially minority)
• Dispersal of power, empowerment of people
• Ethical content: “Deeply embedded in any
definition or form of democracy is a moral code.
Democracy is a system with an ethical
content…Statements about good and bad, along
with right and wrong, weave their way through
any discussion of democracy” (Isbester, p. 2).
Ethical Content of Democracy
• Greatest good for the greatest number
(utilitarian)
• Rights and freedoms (Kantian)
• Civic virtue and citizenship (Aristotle)
– Sen: democracy has intrinsic, instrumental, and
constructive value
Supportive Conditions for Democracy
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A vibrant civil society
A well organized political society
A democratic state
A regulated economy
A supportive international environment
Quality of Democracy
• Democracy is not just elections
– Problems with “Schumpeterian” democracy
• What “goods” does democracy entail?
– Alternation in power
– Political opposition
Democracy is…an electoral regime
Electoral regime
That generates two “goods”
1. Alternation in power
2. Loyal opposition
Electoral regime
“Democracy is a system in which parties lose elections”
– Adam Przeworski
Electoral regime
1. Elected officials.
2. Freedom to vote in
fair and clean
elections
3. Freedom to be a
candidate and hold
office if elected
4. Universal adult
suffrage
Polyarchy: rule of many
Electoral regime
1. Elected officials
2. Freedom to vote in
fair and clean
elections
3. Freedom to be a
candidate and hold
office if elected
4. Universal adult
suffrage
Rights and freedoms
1. Freedom of speech and press
2. Freedom of movement, assembly
3. Freedom of belief, creed, religion
4. Others
Further refinements
1. No authoritarian enclaves
2. No interruptions of mandates
3. No uneven playing field
Electoral regime
1. Elected officials
2. Freedom to vote in fair and
clean elections
3. Freedom to be a candidate
and hold office if elected
4. Universal adult suffrage
Rights and freedoms
1. Freedom of speech and press
2. Freedom of movement, assembly
3. Freedom of belief, creed, religion
The full institutional package
1. No authoritarian enclaves
2. No interruptions of mandates
Horizontal Accountability
1. Separation of powers
2. Rule of law
3. Civilian supremacy
Electoral regime
1. Freedom to vote in fair and
clean elections
2. Freedom to be a candidate and
hold office if elected
3. Universal adult suffrage
Rights and freedoms
1. Freedom of speech and press
2. Freedom of movement, assembly
3. Freedom of belief, creed, religion
Questions
• How does O’Donnell define democracy?
• Why does he think existing democratic theory is
inadequate or does not “travel well”?
• Why are surrounding rights and freedoms
theoretically undecidable?
• What is the institutionalized wager?
• Why must citizens be agents?
• What is the role of the state in guaranteeing
democracy?