DEMOCRACY & DEMOCRATIZATION

1. DEMOCRACY & DEMOCRATIZATION Theories and Approaches

2. Theories of Democracy • Structural theories Posit a relationship between political characteristics and democracy (e.g., economic development, class, etc.). • Voluntarist theories Posit a relationship between political characteristics and democracy (e.g., leadership, political institutions, etc.)

3. Structural vs. Voluntarist Theories • Modernization theory suggests that poor countries should modernize first, then democratize. • Voluntarist theories contend that a sole focus on economics overlooks political attributes such as the international system, public opinion, leadership, institutions, etc.

4. Structural Theories I • Modernization theory (Lipset, 1959) • A strong relationship between modernization and democracy • Wealthier countries are more likely to be democracies due to four factors: wealth, industrialization, urbanization, and education • Where development occurs too rapidly, this can cause problems. • Countries should modernize first, democratize second

5. Modernization Diagram MODERNIZATION THEORY

6. Path Dependency MODERNIZATION THEORY • Major events can provide “momentum” for the continuation of democracy • Education increases support for democracy by increasing tolerance and political understanding • Development creates a middle class which moderates the political system • Democracy creates cross cutting cleavages that further reduce the likelihood for violence

7. Evaluating Modernization Theory • There is a strong correlation between wealth and democracy • Correlation does not equal causation • Theorists have struggled to explain the exact causal mechanism that underlines this relationship • Is it economic development that fosters democracy? Or are other factors associated with wealthy countries? • Difficult to explain backsliding countries • Difficult to explain why many wealthy countries are not democracies

8. Neo-Modernization Theory • Schumpeterian definition of democracy • Per capita income works well as a predictor of regime type • But, some wealthy countries are dictatorship, and some poor countries are democracies • Investigates whether or not development aids the emergence of democracy (endogenous), or sustains democracy (exogenous)

9. Structural Theories II • Marxist theories • Capitalist class structure more favorable to democracy than pre-capitalist class structure • Capitalist class structure: owners of capital vs. laborers • Pre-capitalist class structure: landowners vs. peasants • Pre-capitalist elites rely on coercion to get labor, capitalist elites rely on markets • Implication: democracy is (1) a violent process, (2) not an automatic function of economic development, (3) a function of big, structural forces, not individuals.

10. Structural Theories II • Class-based theories (Moore, 1969) • “No bourgeoisie no democracy” (UK & France) • Landed elite & bourgeoisie shared similar preferences • Where democratization did not threaten their position, democracy is adopted; Or where democracy threatens their position, their preference must be changed • Landed elite’s interests were changed to allow for liberalization • Where a strong bourgeoisie exists, democracy can take hold

11. Comparison: UK & France • United Kingdom • Landed elites could make more selling wool than keeping peasants • Alliances with the bourgeoisie on wool trade linked preferences of the landed elites with the bourgeoisie • This united the landed elites with the bourgeoisie against the monarch • Enclosures weakened the peasantry • Weak peasantry and weakened monarchy resulted in liberalization

12. Comparison: UK & France • France • Bourgeoisie was split between those who could be bought by the monarch and those who could not • Landed elites and ennobled bourgeoisie extracted rent from serfs • Ties to the monarch made reliance on state coercion to increase rents and necessity • Peasantry tied to the land, and increasingly angry revolted to overthrow the monarch and the feudal system • Liberalization occurs after the old system is disbanded

13. Voluntarist Theories • Countries with all the wrong structural conditions can still achieve democracy if certain political conditions are favorable • Two political factors in particular are important • Crafting of compromises • Leadership • Providing security to losers • There are various ways to democracy • Politics matters!

14. Di Palma: Is Democracy a Hot House Plant? VOLUNTARIST THEORY • Democracy was founded in a unique environment • Debunks the “hothouse” idea, as different states make different choices • Certain political attributes (wealth, ethnic divisions, culture) may make the adoption of certain political institutions difficult • When democracy is seen not as a key to prosperity but as a way to protect against arbitrary rule, preferences for democracy change • Democracy has its faults, but is seen as superior in terms of reducing oppression • Desire for coexistence is key, rather than the structural attributes of a state

15. Evaluating Voluntarist Theories • Not all systems can reach agreement on the right institutions • Not every system has leaders who make the “right” decisions for democracy • Economic weakness may limit the ability of leaders to make the right decisions