Democracy: A Comparative Approach

Exploring different varieties of democracies around the world, this work starts with definitions of democracy, and then divides the concept into three dimensions, which provide a framework for the study of democracy in all its forms.

Jan-Erik Lane is Professor of Political Science and head of RESOP (Laboratoire de Recherches Sociales et Politiques Appliquees) at the University of Geneva.

List of illustrations

ix

Preface

xiii

Introduction: Tocqueville's question

1

(1)

A preliminary definition of `democracy'

2

(1)

Alternative models of democracy

3

(7)

The possibility and impossibility of democracy

10

(2)

Exogenous and endogenous democracy

12

(2)

Constitutional democracy

14

(2)

The traditional requisites of democratic longevity

16

(3)

Conclusion

19

(2)

PART I Methodology

21

(66)

Democracy: ideal or real?

23

(44)

Introduction

23

(1)

Democracy and causality

23

(1)

Definitions of `democracy'

24

(10)

Conditions for and outcomes of democracy

34

(10)

Conditions: development and democracy

44

(7)

Outcomes: democracy and development

51

(10)

Empirical illustration: Kerala

61

(3)

Democracy and development

64

(2)

Conclusion

66

(1)

Methodological positivism: its relevance for democracy analysis

67

(20)

Introduction

67

(1)

Subjectivism

68

(2)

Subjectivist dogmas

70

(11)

In favour of objectivism

81

(1)

Modelling democracy: sorting the variables

82

(2)

Conditions for democracy: exogeneity or endogeneity?

84

(1)

Conclusion

85

(2)

PART II Exogeneity

87

(36)

The economy

89

(11)

Introduction

89

(1)

Affluence

89

(2)

Inflation and debt

91

(3)

Economic rules

94

(2)

Which economic factors matter most?

96

(2)

Conclusion

98

(2)

Ethnicity

100

(7)

Introduction

100

(1)

Nation-building and democracy

100

(3)

Ethnic fragmentation and democracy

103

(2)

Nation-building and multi-culturalism

105

(1)

Conclusion

106

(1)

Religion

107

(16)

Introduction

107

(1)

Religion and politics

107

(2)

Weber's approach

109

(2)

World religions and democracy

111

(6)

Lack of democracy in the Muslim world

117

(2)

Religious fragmentation

119

(2)

Conclusion

121

(2)

PART III Endogeneity

123

(60)

Political institutions

125

(15)

Introduction

125

(1)

Political rules

126

(10)

Social institutions: individualism versus collectivism

136

(1)

Rules, culture and democracy

137

(1)

Conclusion

138

(2)

Democratic consolidation: the fate of Eastern Europe and the CIS countries

140

(18)

Introduction

140

(1)

Consolidation of democracy: exogenous or endogenous factors?

141

(1)

Democracy in Eastern Europe from 1990

141

(3)

Democracy, affluence and economic growth

144

(1)

Alternative explanations of democratic consolidation

145

(1)

What matters for democratic consolidation?

146

(4)

Legacy, social structure, religion or institutions?

150

(2)

Economic development in Eastern Europe

152

(5)

Conclusion

157

(1)

The impact of institutional conditions in Third World countries

158

(25)

Introduction

158

(1)

Thick constitutionalism

158

(2)

Latin America: institutional failure?

160

(7)

India: institutional success

167

(2)

South Africa: institutional engineering

169

(9)

South East Asia: slow democratization

178

(2)

Conclusion

180

(3)

PART IV Outcomes of democracy

183

(50)

Equality

185

(24)

Introduction

185

(1)

Income equality

186

(1)

Gender equality

187

(1)

Inequalities: economic and political factors

188

(1)

Democracy and `Big Government'

189

(6)

The welfare state and the welfare society

195

(13)

Conclusion

208

(1)

Democracy, pollution and corruption

209

(24)

Introduction

209

(1)

Democracy and the environment

210

(9)

Corruption and democracy

219

(4)

Democracy, private interests and the public interest

223

(2)

Will independent bodies improve outcomes?

225

(3)

Conclusion

228

(1)

Appendix

229

(4)

PART V Conclusions

233

(39)

Participation, e-voting and principal--agent interaction

235

(15)

Introduction

235

(1)

The problem of participation

235

(6)

E-voting: ends and means

241

(1)

The principal--agent framework

242

(7)

Conclusion

249

(1)

Conclusion: how can we enhance democracy?

250

(22)

Introduction

250

(2)

Three perspectives of democracy

252

(5)

Towards a theory of endogenous democracy

257

(4)

Thin constitutionalism matters more

261

(5)

Conclusion

266

(1)

Appendix: on the mathematics of democracy

267

(5)

F. Dieterlen

J.-E. Lane

Appendix A1 Variable list for the sample of the countries of the world (at most N = 150)

272

(6)

Appendix A2 Variable list for the sample of Central and East European countries, and the CIS countries

278

(3)

Bibliography

281

(22)

Index

303

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Democracy: A Comparative Approach

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

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Rent More, Save More! Use code: BBRENTAL

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Democracy: A Comparative Approach

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials

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