1. Democratic vs authoritarian regimes

2. What is democracy?

3. Characteristics of a democracy: system for choosing leaders
Free and fair elections
Indirect or direct system
Referendum (or plebiscite)

4. Characteristics of a democracy: active participation of citizens
In politics
In civil life
Civil society
Associational autonomy
pluralist societies

5. Characteristics of a democracy: protection of human rights
For all citizens
Freedom of speech and press
Religious freedom
To enjoy one’s own culture
Independent and alternative sources of information
Right to freely associate
Right to assemble and protest
Liberal and illiberal democracies

6. Characteristics of a democracy: rule of law
Applied equally
All citizens treated the same
Constitution (remember rational-legal legitimacy)
Legal system and criminal proceedings

8. Political parties—in democracy
Set platforms
Organize majority rule by nominating candidates
Provide guide to policies
Hold elected elites accountable
Prevent tyranny
Interest aggregation (combine articulated interests into policies)

9. Election systems Proportional versus single-member district
Plurality (most votes) versus majority (more than ½ votes) rule
Coalition governments….
Impact on political party development
Proportional—multiple parties
SMD/First Past Post—2 major parties (maybe others but they are small and politically not very influential)

11. Election results…. Green Party Democratic Party Republican Party
Libertarian Party
Who Wins? 5 45 47 3 12 52 24 6 32 46 16 22 54

12. Election results….

13. Chief executive Presidential versus parliamentary
Impact on separation of powers
Impact on divided government
Gridlock
No confidence votes
Role of Head of State (ceremonial)

14. Authoritarian regimes
invest authority in small group of individuals
No constitutional responsibility to the public
No viable constitutional mechanism to remove a government
All regimes pre-18th century were authoritarian
NOT same as totalitarian

15. “causes” of authoritarian regimes
Economic factors
Social factors
Religious factors

16. Authoritarian means of control
Coercian (force)
Compel people to submit to the regime
Surveillance of dissidents
Information monitoring (ie. Internet)
Brute force

17. Means of control Most consistent tactic
Cooptation
Most consistent tactic
State corporatism
Patron-clientelism
Corruption (related to patron-clientelism)
Power—ability to compel or motivate people to act a certain way
Authority—official position and jurisdiction.

18. Means of control Personality cult More common with totalitarianism
Leader is near perfected version of nation’s aspirations
Mao Zedong in China during cultural Revolution
Stalin in Russia

19. Authoritarian type—personal rule
No clear rules or regime boundaries
No constraints on rulers
Often royal family
Often patron-client network

20. Authoritarian type-military rule
Usually result of a coup d’etat
Military leaders become policy makers and enforcers
Become agents of the state (Nigeria)
Most promise reform right after coup but mostly become engaged in corruption as earlier leaders did.

21. Authoritarian type-one party rule
Also called dominant-party system
Only one party legally or practically able to compete for power
Sometimes restriction built in to regime (China)
Sometimes ruling party takes steps to ensure easy victory every election
Illiberal democracy

22. Authoritarian type-theocracy
Intention is rule by God
Practically, power held by religious leaders
Entrust rule of the state to clerical religious authorities
Rules of regime and laws are often required to be consistent with religious doctrines