The Character of Democracy How Institutions Shape Politics

by Clucas, Richard A.; Valdini, Melody Ellis

• ISBN13: 9780199945467
• ISBN10: 0199945462
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2014-01-17
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

The Character of Democracy: How Institutions Shape Politics offers a uniquely comprehensive overview of the major democratic institutions found around the world, including electoral systems, party systems, presidential and parliamentary governments, legislatures, federalism, and constitutional courts. The authors first present five broad categories of democratic ideals that reflect the consent of the governed--meaningful elections, fair representation, accountability, majority rule and minority rights, and the functionality of the state--and then explain how well different institutional designs live up to these democratic ideals. For each institution, they provide an in-depth treatment of its related literature, describe variations in how it is structured around the world, and explain why these variations are important to how democratic political systems work. Case studies of the political structures found in Brazil, Germany, Japan, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States illustrate how differences in institutional design affect democratic government.

Taking an analytical and scholarly approach that does not advocate any particular democratic design, The Character of Democracy is ideal for advanced courses in comparative politics and/or democratic institutions.

Author Biography

Dr. Richard A. Clucas is a professor of political science at Portland State University and the Executive Director of the Western Political Science Association. He is an expert on legislative politics. His work has been published in Legislative Studies Quarterly, Political Research Quarterly, State Politics and Policy Quarterly, and in other scholarly journals. He is the author of the Encyclopedia of American Political Reform, which was selected as one of the Outstanding Academic Book of 1997 from Choice. He is also the author of The Speaker's Electoral Connection, the editor of two other books, and the creator and series editor for ABC-CLIO's reference set, About State Government. His Ph.D. is from the University of California Santa Barbara, where he studied American and comparative politics.

Dr. Melody Ellis Valdini is an assistant professor of political science at the Hatfield School of Government at Portland State University. She received her Ph.D. in comparative politics from the University of California, San Diego, and is an expert on comparative institutions, with a focus on electoral systems and representation. Her published works includes articles in the American Journal of Political Science, Electoral Studies, and Politics & Gender. She recently won the Carrie Chapman Catt Prize for her research on women's legislative representation, and is currently writing a book on the personal vote.

Table of Contents

Preface
CHAPTER ONE: DEMOCRATIC IDEALS
Introduction
PURPOSE OF THE BOOK
Brief Overview of Varieties of Institutional Designs
Discussion of Seminal Literature on Consequences of Institutions
The Essential Ideals of Democratic Government
Meaningful Elections
Fair Representation
Accountability
Balance of Interests: Majority Rule and Minority Rights
Functional State: Efficiency and Effectiveness
The Cultivation of Legitimacy
Case Studies
Overview of Upcoming Chapters
CHAPTER TWO: ROADS TO DEMOCRACY
Introduction
INSTITUTIONAL CHOICE AND EMERGENCE
THE LITERATURE ON INSTITUTIONAL ORIGINS
Institutional Choice
Elite Influences on Electoral Systems and Regime Type
Historical Institutionalism
The Influence of Legacies and Region
Institutional Choices within Historical Contexts
SIX DIFFERENT SETS OF CONCERNS, SIX DIFFERENT SYSTEMS
United Kingdom: Evolutionary Change toward Empowering the Commons
United States: Establishing Popular Rule and Protecting Against Tyranny
Germany: Overcoming the Weimar and Nazi Legacies
Japan: Protecting Against the Past while Ensuring Acceptance
Brazil: Finding Compromise among a Multitude of Interests
South Africa: Providing Majority Rule while Building Consensus
INSTITUTIONAL ORIGINS IN PERSPECTIVE
CHAPTER THREE: HOW ELECTIONS MATTER
Introduction
ELECTORAL SYSTEM FAMILIES
Attributes of Majoritarian Electoral Systems
Single-Member District System
Run-Off Voting
Alternative Voting
Attributes of Proportional Electoral Systems
Closed List Proportional Representation
Open List Proportional Representation
Flexible List Systems
Single Transferable Voting
Variations within Proportional Systems
Duverger and the Effect of Electoral Systems on Party Government
Case Study: Two plus parties in the United Kingdom
The Effect of the Electoral System on Democratic Ideals
Balance of Interests: Majority Rule and Minority Rights
Functional State: Effectiveness and Efficiency
Accountability
Fair Representation
Meaningful Elections
Attributes of Mixed Member Electoral Systems
The Effect of Mixed Member Systems on Democratic Ideals
Case Study: Germany's Experiences with a Mixed System
THE PERSONAL VOTE
Attributes of the Personal Vote
The Effect of the Personal Vote on Democratic Ideals
Case Study: Profound Proportionalism in Brazil
ELECTORAL SYSTEMS IN PERSPECTIVE
CHAPTER FOUR: LINKAGE INSTITUTIONS AND REPRESENTATIVES
Introduction
POLITICAL PARTIES
Roles of Political Parties in Democracies
Case Study: Candidate Selection in the UK
Party Systems
Classifications of Party Systems
Effective Number of Political Parties
Forces that Shape Party Systems
Common Parties and Ideologies
The Effect the Party System on Democratic Ideals
Fair Representation
Functional State: Efficiency and Effectiveness
Meaningful Elections
Case Study: Party System in Germany
INTEREST GROUPS
Attributes of Interest Groups in Democracies
Lobbying
Formation of Interest Groups
Interest Group Systems
Pluralism
Neocorporatism
Effect of Interest Group Systems on Democratic Ideals
Fair Representation
Accountability
Case Study: Quasi-Neocorporatist System of Japan
REPRESENTATIVES
Attributes of Representatives
The Effect of Legislative Diversity on Democratic Ideals
Meaningful Elections
Fair Representation
Case Study: Ethnic Group Representation in South Africa
LINKAGE INSTITUTIONS AND REPRESENTATIVES IN PERSPECTIVE
CHAPTER FIVE: PRESIDENTIAL AND PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENTS
Introduction
PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT
Defining Parliamentary Government
Attributes of Parliamentary Systems
Selection of Prime Minister through the Assembly
Centralization of Power in the Cabinet
Central Role Played by Political Parties
Cabinet Responsibility to the Assembly
Government's Discretion over Elections
Party Systems and Parliamentary Government
PRESIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT
Defining Presidential Government
Attributes of Presidential Systems
Separate Election of the President
Diffusion of Power in the Government
Weak Political Parties
Cabinet Responsibility to the President
Fixed Term Elections
The Effect of Regime Type on Democratic Ideals
Functional State: Efficiency and Effectiveness
Balance of Interests: Majority Rule and Minority Rights
Fair Representation
Meaningful Elections
Accountability
Case Studies: UK and US Responses to the Economic Crisis
SEMI-PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS
Defining Semi-Presidential Government
The Uncertain Effects of Semi-Presidentialism on Democratic Ideals
Functional State: Efficiency and Effectiveness
Fair Representation
The Effect of Regime Type on Stability
REGIME TYPE IN PERSPECTIVE
CHAPTER SIX: THE LEGISLATURE IN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT
Introduction
THE ROLE OF LEGISLATURES IN POLICYMAKING
Attributes Of Legislatures in Parliamentary Systems
Factors that Strengthen Parliaments
The Importance of Strong Committee Systems
Legislative Control of the Agenda
Case Study: Germany's Working Assembly
Attributes of Legislatures in Presidential Systems
Resources that Alter the Distribution of Power
Legislative Powers Granted to the President
The Impact of the Party System on Presidential Power
The Impact of Legislative Organization
Case Study: Brazil's Centrifugal System
The Effect of Greater Legislative Autonomy on Democratic Ideals
Functional State: Efficiency and Effectiveness
Balance of Interests: Majority Rule and Minority Rights
Fair Representation
Accountability
THE ROLE OF LEGISLATURES IN OVERSEEING THE EXECUTIVE
Attributes of Different Oversight Structures
Factors that Affect Oversight Capacity and Effectiveness
Case Studies: Oversight in the US and Japan
UNICAMERAL VERSUS BICAMERAL LEGISLATURES
Attributes of Bicameral Systems
Differing Perspectives on the Significance of Bicameralism
The Effect of Two Chambers on Democratic Ideals
Balance of Interests: Majority Rule and Minority Rights
Functional State: Efficiency and Effectiveness
LEGISLATURES IN PERSPECTIVE
CHAPTER SEVEN: THE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF POWER
Introduction
DEFINING GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTIONS OF POWER
Unitary
Federal
Confederal
Alternative Definitions and Concepts
ATTRIBUTES OF FEDERAL SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT
Bicameral Legislatures
Rigid Constitution
High Court with Judicial Review
Presence of Intergovernmental Institutions
Variations within Unitary and Federal Systems
Case Study: Decentralization but not Federalism in the UK
The Effect of the Geographic Distribution of Power on Democratic Ideals
Balance of Interests: Majority Rule and Minority Rights
Balance of Interests in Multiethnic Societies
Fair Representation
Functional State: Efficiency and Effectiveness
Accountability
Case Studies: Alternative Forms of Federalism in Brazil and South Africa
GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF POWER IN PERSPECTIVE
CHAPTER EIGHT: THE HIGH COURT
Introduction
THE ROLE OF HIGH COURTS IN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT
Attributes of High Courts
Judicial Independence
The Effect of Judicial Independence on Democratic Ideals
Balance of Interests: Majority Rule and Minority Rights
Accountability
Case Study: Low Judicial Independence in Japan
JUDICIAL BEHAVIOR
Legal and Attitudinal Models of Judicial Behavior
Factors that Shape Judicial Behavior
JUDICIAL REVIEW
Strength of Judicial Review
Differences in Judicial Review Procedures
The Effect of Judicial Review on Democratic Ideals
Balance of Interests: Majority Rule and Minority Rights
Accountability
Functional State: Efficiency and Effectiveness
Case Study: Judicial Review in the United States
DIVERSITY ON THE BENCH
Race, Ethnicity and Gender of Justices
Causal Factors in Judicial Underrepresentation
The Effect of Court Diversity on Democratic Ideals
Fair Representation
Functional State: Efficiency and Effectiveness
HIGH COURTS IN PERSPECTIVE
CHAPTER NINE: A VALUES CHOICE: THE BALANCE OF DEMOCRATIC IDEALS
Introduction
THE DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT
BALANCE OF IDEALS: CASE BY CASE ANALYSIS
United Kingdom
United States
Germany
Japan
Brazil
South Africa
LEGITIMACY: A MEASURE OF DEMOCRATIC QUALITY
Cultivation of Legitimacy through the Balance of Democratic Ideals
Appendix