The POLITICAL Construct of National Security

POLITICAL Security is concerned with the stability of political

order [also called Regime Security]

Prevention of government repression, systematic violation of

human rights and threats from militarization.

Protection against political repression, systematic torture, ill

treatment and disappearance.
[Human Development Report (HDR)]

Concepts in Political Security

1) Weak States vs Strong States
2) Regime security vs Insecurity Dilemma
3) Political Stability
4) Global Democracy

1) Weak States vs Strong States

Weak States face profound security challenges such as:

Intra-state war or civil war

Communal violence
Poverty and famine
Weapons proliferation and crime
Political instability
Social breakdown
Economic failure
State collapse

Characteristics of Weak States

Armed forces are ill-equipped, poorly managed, and prone to
divisions
Rival politicians with their own private armies, warlords, criminal
gangs, locally organized militias, armed ethnic or religious groups

Terrorist organizations resist the state’s attempt to enforce

compliance

Characteristics of Strong States

Infrastructural capacity - State institutions are able to perform
essential tasks and enact policy

Coercive capacity – Government is able to employ force against

challenges to its authority.

Strong national identity – The people identifies with the nation

state and accepts its legitimate role in their lives.

2) Regime security vs Insecurity Dilemma

Regime Security is a the condition wherein the government/

governing elites are secure from violent challenges to their rule.

Insecurity dilemma is a condition where insecurity is actually

more the norm than security.
States are overwhelmed with challenges to militarization and
repression.
Usually takes place in developing countries which mostly
emanate from internal rather than external threats
Examples: insurgency, secessionism, rebellion, genocide,

POLITICAL STABILITY INDEX

The indicators that show the stability in political and governmental
issues in the countries are as follows*:
Absence of:
Disorderly transfer of government power;
Armed conflict;
Violent demonstrations;
Social unrest;
International tensions;
Terrorism; and
Ethnic, religious, or regional conflict
*Source: GlobalEconomy.com; WB (govindicators.org)

The Political Stability Index measures perceptions of the

likelihood that the government will be destabilized or overthrown
by unconstitutional or violent means, including politically-
motivated violence and terrorism. 

GLOBAL DEMOCRACY
If democracy means that the authority of government is based on
will of the people through the right of all citizens to take part in
public affairs through elections, then what does global democracy
mean?

Global democracy is the worldwide expansion of the democratic

type of government.

Global Democracy Index is compiled by the Economist

Intelligence Unit (EIU), which attempts to measure the state of
democracy in 167 countries

Categories:
Electoral process and pluralism
The functioning of government
Political participation
Political culture
Civil liberties
Global Democracy Index Classifications:
1. Full Democracies:
liberties & freedoms respected and reinforced
conducive to democratic principles
governmental checks and balances
independent judiciary, with decisions enforced
diverse and independent media

2. Flawed Democracies – also referred to as defective

democracies.
 low levels of political participation or problems in how the society
is governed, though they still meet the basic requirements of free
elections and respect for civil liberties.
media freedom infringement
minor suppression of political opposition and critics

3. Hybrid Regimes:
Regular electoral frauds
Widespread corruption
Anemic rule of law

4. Authoritarian Regimes:
often dictatorships or absolute monarchies