AU Political Science Question
The relationship between political development and the durability of democracy is a complex and often debated topic in political science. The readings you’ve provided offer insights into various aspects of this relationship, including the connections between development, democracy, erosion of democratic institutions, and collapse. Here are some key points and concepts that emerge from these readings:
- Political Development and Democracy: Samuel Huntington’s work from 1965 explores the concept of political development and how it relates to the establishment and maintenance of democratic institutions. He emphasizes the idea that societies progress through different stages of development, and that as they modernize economically and socially, the conditions become more favorable for the emergence and consolidation of democratic systems.
- Development, Democracy, and International System: Carles Boix’s 2011 article delves into the relationship between democracy, development, and the international system. It likely discusses how global factors, such as the balance of power between democratic and non-democratic states, can influence the success and durability of democratic institutions within individual countries.
- Challenging Conventional Wisdom: Barbara Geddes’ work from 1994 challenges conventional wisdom about the relationship between economic development and democracy. She might discuss cases where countries with lower levels of economic development have been able to sustain democratic governance, suggesting that other factors beyond economic prosperity play a role in the durability of democracy.
- Economic Reform and Democracy: Plattner and Diamond’s 1994 article explores the interplay between economic reform and democracy. This reading could touch upon how economic liberalization and structural reforms can impact the stability of democratic systems.
- Big Business and Dependencia: Osvaldo Sunkel’s 1972 work might discuss the role of big business and economic dependency in shaping political development and the potential implications for democratic durability. It could explore how economic power and external dependencies influence the ability of a country to maintain democratic governance.
- Level of Development and Democracy in Latin America: Mainwaring and Perez-Linan’s 2003 article might focus on the Latin American context and explore the relationship between the level of economic and social development and the establishment and persistence of democratic systems in the region.
- Erosion and Collapse of Democracy: Some of the more recent readings address the erosion and collapse of democratic institutions. Beliakova’s 2021 article could provide a framework for analyzing the erosion of civilian control in democracies, which could touch on how internal and external factors contribute to the weakening of democratic norms and practices.
- Authoritarian Vestiges in Democracies: Loxton’s 2021 work could explore the persistence of authoritarian practices and ideologies within nominally democratic systems. This might include examining how remnants of authoritarianism can undermine the durability of democratic governance.
- Democratic Subversion: Arriola, Devaro, and Meng’s 2021 article might discuss how elite cooptation and opposition fragmentation can lead to the subversion of democratic institutions, potentially contributing to their collapse.
- Kremlin Emboldened and Paradoxes of Decline: Shevtsova’s 2017 work could delve into specific cases, such as Russia, to analyze how apparent decline in democracy can paradoxically lead to a more emboldened regime.
Overall, the relationship between political development and the durability of democracy is multifaceted, involving economic, social, international, and internal political dynamics. The readings you’ve provided seem to cover various dimensions of this relationship, offering insights into how different factors interact to shape the trajectory of democratic governance in different contexts.
- Political Development and Democracy: Samuel Huntington’s work from 1965 explores the concept of political development and how it relates to the establishment and maintenance of democratic institutions. He emphasizes the idea that societies progress through different stages of development, and that as they modernize economically and socially, the conditions become more favorable for the emergence and consolidation of democratic systems.
- Development, Democracy, and International System: Carles Boix’s 2011 article delves into the relationship between democracy, development, and the international system. It likely discusses how global factors, such as the balance of power between democratic and non-democratic states, can influence the success and durability of democratic institutions within individual countries.
- Challenging Conventional Wisdom: Barbara Geddes’ work from 1994 challenges conventional wisdom about the relationship between economic development and democracy. She might discuss cases where countries with lower levels of economic development have been able to sustain democratic governance, suggesting that other factors beyond economic prosperity play a role in the durability of democracy.
- Economic Reform and Democracy: Plattner and Diamond’s 1994 article explores the interplay between economic reform and democracy. This reading could touch upon how economic liberalization and structural reforms can impact the stability of democratic systems.
- Big Business and Dependencia: Osvaldo Sunkel’s 1972 work might discuss the role of big business and economic dependency in shaping political development and the potential implications for democratic durability. It could explore how economic power and external dependencies influence the ability of a country to maintain democratic governance.
- Level of Development and Democracy in Latin America: Mainwaring and Perez-Linan’s 2003 article might focus on the Latin American context and explore the relationship between the level of economic and social development and the establishment and persistence of democratic systems in the region.
- Erosion and Collapse of Democracy: Some of the more recent readings address the erosion and collapse of democratic institutions. Beliakova’s 2021 article could provide a framework for analyzing the erosion of civilian control in democracies, which could touch on how internal and external factors contribute to the weakening of democratic norms and practices.
- Authoritarian Vestiges in Democracies: Loxton’s 2021 work could explore the persistence of authoritarian practices and ideologies within nominally democratic systems. This might include examining how remnants of authoritarianism can undermine the durability of democratic governance.
- Democratic Subversion: Arriola, Devaro, and Meng’s 2021 article might discuss how elite cooptation and opposition fragmentation can lead to the subversion of democratic institutions, potentially contributing to their collapse.
- Kremlin Emboldened and Paradoxes of Decline: Shevtsova’s 2017 work could delve into specific cases, such as Russia, to analyze how apparent decline in democracy can paradoxically lead to a more emboldened regime.
Overall, the relationship between political development and the durability of democracy is multifaceted, involving economic, social, international, and internal political dynamics. The readings you’ve provided seem to cover various dimensions of this relationship, offering insights into how different factors interact to shape the trajectory of democratic governance in different contexts.
QUESTION
Description
What is the relationship between political development and durability of democracy?
here is the list of the reading,
Development and democratic erosion and collapse
Development and democracy
Samuel Huntington. 1965. “Political Development and Political Decay.” WP 17.3: 386-430.
Carles Boix. 2011. “Democracy, Development, and the International System.” APSR 105.4: 809-28.
Barbara Geddes. 1994. “Challenging the Conventional Wisdom.” JOD 5.4: 104-18.
Marc F. Plattner & Larry Jay Diamond. 1994. “Economic Reform and Democracy.” JOD 5.4: 3-4.
Osvaldo Sunkel. 1972. “Big Business and ‘Dependencia’.” FA 50.3: 517-31.
Scott Mainwaring & Anibal Perez-Linan. 2003. “Level of Development and Democracy – Latin American Exceptionalism, 1945-1996.” CPS 36.9: 1031-67.
EROSION AND COLLAPSE
Polina Beliakova. 2021. “Erosion of Civilian Control in Democracies: A Comprehensive Framework for Comparative Analysis” Comparative Political Studies (CPS) 54.8: 1393-1423.
James Loxton. 2021. “Authoritarian Vestiges in Democracies.” JOD 32.2: 145-158.
Leonardo R. Arriola, Jed Devaro, and Anne Meng. 2021. “Democratic Subversion: Elite Cooptation and Opposition Fragmentation.” American Political Science Review 115.4: 1358-1372.
Lilia Shevtsova. 2017. “The Kremlin Emboldened: Paradoxes of Decline.” JOD 28.4: 101-109.