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    ItPS Outline Unit 04 The Meaning of Democracy

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    Ares Siete
    This document provides an introduction to definitions of democracy from a political science perspective. It outlines two main approaches to defining democracy - procedural definitions that focus on governmental processes like elections, and substantial definitions that emphasize underlying values like freedom and equality. A combined definition is proposed: "Democracy is a model of societal organisation in which decisions are made by leaders selected through competitive elections that represent and respond to citizens, and whose decisions are inspired by foundational principles of freedom, equality and human rights." The document also briefly traces the historical evolution of democratic ideals from revolutions to modern reforms expanding participation and rights.

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    ItPS Outline Unit 04 The Meaning of Democracy

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    Ares Siete
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    This document provides an introduction to definitions of democracy from a political science perspective. It outlines two main approaches to defining democracy - procedural definitions that focus on governmental processes like elections, and substantial definitions that emphasize underlying values like freedom and equality. A combined definition is proposed: "Democracy is a model of societal organisation in which decisions are made by leaders selected through competitive elections that represent and respond to citizens, and whose decisions are inspired by foundational principles of freedom, equality and human rights." The document also briefly traces the historical evolution of democratic ideals from revolutions to modern reforms expanding participation and rights.

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    ItPS Outline Unit 04 the Meaning of Democracy

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    This document provides an introduction to definitions of democracy from a political science perspective. It outlines two main approaches to defining democracy - procedural definitions that focus on governmental processes like elections, and substantial definitions that emphasize underlying values like freedom and equality. A combined definition is proposed: "Democracy is a model of societal organisation in which decisions are made by leaders selected through competitive elections that represent and respond to citizens, and whose decisions are inspired by foundational principles of freedom, equality and human rights." The document also briefly traces the historical evolution of democratic ideals from revolutions to modern reforms expanding participation and rights.

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    45 views19 pages

    ItPS Outline Unit 04 The Meaning of Democracy

    Uploaded by

    Ares Siete
    This document provides an introduction to definitions of democracy from a political science perspective. It outlines two main approaches to defining democracy - procedural definitions that focus on governmental processes like elections, and substantial definitions that emphasize underlying values like freedom and equality. A combined definition is proposed: "Democracy is a model of societal organisation in which decisions are made by leaders selected through competitive elections that represent and respond to citizens, and whose decisions are inspired by foundational principles of freedom, equality and human rights." The document also briefly traces the historical evolution of democratic ideals from revolutions to modern reforms expanding participation and rights.

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    Introduction to Political Science

    University of New York in Prague (UNYP)

    Unit IV. The Meaning of Democracy

    Lecturer: Oscar Hidalgo-Redondo

    Questions from last Week?


    What is the meaning of sovereignty?
    What is the relation between sovereignty and the state?
    What is the difference between popular and national
    sovereignty?
    What is the concept of sovereignty used to legitimise
    the
    state today?

    4.1 The Concept of Democracy


    Democracy one of the most used concepts in political science
    difficult to imagine someone who has not heard it
    google, 199 million documents
    Paradox, not so easy to reach an agreement on what democracy is
    citizens
    political leaders
    political theorists
    everyone knows the meaning
    but do we all understand the same?
    is there something that we can call DEMOCRACY?

    Reasons for differences in understanding


    important ideological load
    politically biased
    politically correct, positive concept
    peoples democracies
    liberal democracies
    cultural differences
    democracy in the world
    democracy more than a governmental model
    evolution in time
    democracy today
    democracy in the past

    4.2 Definitions of Democracy


    In order to be able to understand ourselves when we talk about
    democracy we need to be able to clarify our definition of democracy
    need to discuss the same concept
    Discarding non-orthodox (biased) definitions of democracy
    two main schools
    procedural definitions of democracy
    substantial definitions of democracy
    Democracy, from the Greek demokratia
    demos, people
    kratos, government
    Thus, democracy is a form of government based on the rule of the people

    are all the popular governments democratic?


    is the rule of majority, democratic?
    Look for the limits of our definition of democracy
    political theorists have tried to separate what democracy is from
    what democracy is not
    complicated task, thin lines
    Two main types of definitions
    placing the stress on the procedures
    forms, institutions,...
    placing the stress on the contents
    outputs, policies,...
    Two main approaches to democracy

    4.3 Definitions of Democracy: Procedural Democracy


    Approach focused on the study of how things happen
    analysing the forms
    institutions
    how policies are decided
    What matters is how we take decisions
    democracies, people participation
    non-democracies, popular participation is limited
    Hans Kelsen: Democracy is a form. In fact, the procedure through a social
    order is searched or undertaken is consider formal to distinguish it
    from the contents of the order, that is its material or substantial
    element
    democracy as a method itself
    democracy is the method
    vs. non-democratic models in which the
    procedures are not fixed
    7

    But not much explanation of how is that method


    Joseph Schumpeter: the democratic method is that institutional
    arrangement for arriving at political decisions in which individuals
    acquire the power to decide by means of a competitive struggle for
    peoples vote
    centrality of the elections
    solving conflicts, different interests
    but rules
    elections = democracy?
    competitive?
    2 parties at least?

    Robert Dahl, definition of poliarchy


    setting more guarantees for a real democratic model
    Dahl is author in between the two schools
    democracy, as an ideal
    poliarchy, as a model attainable
    Democracy is the continuing responsiveness of the government to the
    citizens, considered as political equals
    Poliarchy is the practical application in human
    societies of the ideal of democracy
    1. Freedom to form and join organisations
    2. Freedom of expression
    3. Right to vote
    4. Eligibility public office
    5. Right of political leaders to compete for support
    6. Alternative sources of information
    7. Fair and free elections
    8. Institutions for making government policies depend on votes

    Advantages of these definitions


    measurability
    easy to understand, simple definition
    Problems
    too much weight of electoral aspects
    electoral fallacy
    illiberal democracies
    proto-democracies
    no intensity in democracy
    democratic or not

    10

    4.3 Definitions of Democracy: Substantial Democracy


    Democracy is not just a set of procedures
    essence of democracy
    contents
    Democracy not as a system to reach decisions
    but a societal model
    a way of living, and organising public affairs
    Need of contents
    democracy as empty shell
    needs contents
    values, ideals, goals
    determining political outputs in that political community
    forms+contents

    11

    Giovanni Sartori: democracy as an ethical-political system


    What democracy is cannot be separated from what democracy should
    be. A democracy exits insofar as its ideas and values bring into being
    The question is, which values?
    Norberto Bobbio
    Freedom
    Equality
    Advantages of this type of definitions
    link institutions practice
    gradate democracies
    compare models of democracy

    12

    Disadvantages
    which values?
    ordering values
    too perfect? can we attain democracy?
    frustration

    13

    4.4 Defining democracy


    So, how can we define democracy
    democratic political systems
    Procedural aspects
    selection of leaders among citizens
    eligibility
    campaigning
    pluralism in the choice
    government rule limited
    temporal
    no concentration
    responsiveness
    leaders-ruled
    channels open
    equilibrium
    information
    plural
    alternative

    14

    applicability of the norms


    universal
    rule of law
    citizens
    leaders
    Nature of the political action
    Not separated from fundamental values of the society
    natural law
    guiding principles
    freedom and equality
    respect for minorities
    tolerance
    human rights
    Democracy is a model of societal organisation in which decisions are
    made by a group of leaders with a temporary mandate and selected
    through competitive elections, that represent and are responsive to
    the rest of the political community, and whose decisions must be
    inspired in the foundational principles of that political community:
    freedom, equality and respect for human rights

    15

    4.5 Evolution of the Democratic Ideals


    Traditionally democrats were considered revolutionaries
    inverting the political order
    hierarchy
    leaders-ruled
    Enlightenment and liberalism
    French and American revolutions (late XVIII Cent.)
    new order
    democratisation, open participation
    Napoleonic reform
    not purely a democrat
    but consolidating some of the achievements of revolutions
    state

    16

    Constitutions of the Restoration


    Congress of Vienna (1814-5), return to pre-revolutionary order
    Royal statutes, limited power of the king
    shared sovereignty
    Liberal revolutions, 1830s moderate liberalism
    liberal elitism
    1848 radicalised liberalism
    expanding citizenship
    workers
    social justice
    Post-WWI reforms
    social protection
    expansion citizenship
    women
    Post-WWII reforms
    social protection
    minorities, civil rights
    17

    1968 and beyond


    post-modern democracies
    extension of social rights
    non-materialist values
    environmental rights
    multiculturalism
    and democracy today?

    18

    Questions for Next Week

    Has democracy always meant the same?


    What is the difference between the two main
    families
    of definitions of democracy?
    What is the difference between a poliarchy and a
    democracy?
    What is the problem of defining democracy linked to
    values? And to procedures?

    19

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