Democracy

or

SPU326E: DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT

Week 2
20 October 2020
 A short history of democracy: Part 1

 Demos (people) + Kratia (rule)

 Athenian democracy: direct
democracy, small scale
 Counter argument to democracy:
Socrates and Plato
 A short history of democracy: Part 2

 Became more prominent in the 18th century in the Enlightenment

Era
• John Locke, J.S. Mill & Jeremy Bentham
 “No bourgeoisie, No democracy!” – Barrington Moore Jr.
• The rise of the non-aristocratic merchant class
 America Revolution of 1776: “Life, liberty and the pursuit of
happiness”
 French Revolution of 1789: “Liberté, égalité, fraternité”
 Russian Revolution of 1917: Marxist-Leninism
 A short history of democracy: Part 3

 Post-WWII decolonization especially Asia and Africa

 “Third Wave” Democratization (1970s – 1990s) – Samuel
Huntington
 Democratic backsliding now? The rise of right-wing populism
around the world especially Europe and the US.
 What exactly is democracy then?
 A way to organize a society
 Common understanding: majority rule, elections. But is it?
 Deepening of democracy: minority rights, equality, justice, freedom
• Citizenry Empowerment
 Associational life as a measure of democratic health
• Robert Putnam’s Social Capital: Trust + Network + Reciprocity
 Social contract – Thomas Hobbes
• “State of nature” = War of All Against All
• “Enlightened Self Interest”
• Government to enforce social contract (constitution)
 Democratic bargaining
• Democracy as a mechanism for conflict resolution through peaceful means