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CHAPTER THREE: DEMOCRACY

3.1 A democratic world: for the first time in history, most people now live in democracies (p. 43).

 

3.2 Direct democracy as the denial of any separation between state and society. Ancient Athens as the prime example (pp. 43-6).

 

3.3 Deliberative democracy: open debate to encourage public reason and the weighing of judgements rather than the counting of votes. Leib’s proposal for a popular chamber to be added to America’s government (pp. 46-8).

 

3.4 Modern representative democracy: indirect rather than direct democracy. Compatibility with large states and market economies. Schumpeter’s view of representative democracy as party competition (pp. 48-9).

 

3.5 Liberal democracy. Features include constitutional limits on government, entrenched rights of individual citizens and a role for expertise. Reasons for its emergence (pp. 49-52).

 

3.6 Illiberal democracy: few constraints on the president, once elected. The president’s use of his privileged position to secure reelection. The focus on a strong but often effective leader, rather than institutions. Harrying of potential opponents. Manipulation of the media but little if any ballot-stuffing (pp. 49-52).

 

3.7 The three waves of democratization: the first wave (1828-1926, e.g. UK, USA), the second wave (1943-62, e.g. India, Japan), the third wave (1974-91, e.g. Spain, Portugal). The USA as an example of liberal democracy; Britain as an example of representative democracy (pp. 52-8).