PLS 200 Exam 2

Athens was the first city-state to implement democracy t o f

False

the word democracy is not mentioned in the US Constitution t o f

True

Where did democracy originate

with the Ancient Greeks in the 5th century BCE

When did democracy begin to spread

20th century

Definition of a direct democracy

rule by the people (we govern ourselves)

What’s an indirect democracy

We vote for representatives who vote on our behalf

What government does Switzerland have and why

a direct democracy because sovereignty lies within the people

How does voting work in Switzerland

vote 4 times a year on 15 different federal popular votes

Who were the 3 main people with early thoughts on democracy

Plato, Aristotle, Framers of the Constitution

How did the Framers of the Constitution feel about the Constitution and Democracy

Created a republic where decisions are made by representatives of citizens instead of citizens themselves

What undemocratic institutions are in the US

Supreme Court and electoral College

What is the Electoral College in terms of elections

even when popular votes make one candidate win, the EC votes can make the other win

What party wants the Electoral College removed

Democrats more than republicans

What do most definitions of democracy today focus on

institutions and procedures
- can citizens participate equally in competitive elections
- Do elections direct government actions

What are the 2 approaches to democracy

minimalist (thin) and maximalist (thick)

What is the minimalist approach to democracy

free and fair elections
the norm in contemporary research

What is the definition of free in minimalist democratic elections

all citizens who are adults have an equal right to vote, run, and campaign

What is the definition of fair in minimalist democratic elections

there is an honest vote count on election day

What are the attributes of maximalist (thick) approach to democracy

free and fair elections are necessary but not sufficient

additional attributes are considered

What are the additional attributes that are considered in a maximalist (thick) approach to democracy

representation, accountability, rule of law, participation, and engagement

The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea is a dictatorship, and the Republic of Korea is a democracy. T or F

True

The Democratic Republic of Congo is a dictatorship and the Republic of Congo is a democracy. T o f

False

What are the 2 main positives of minimalism

• enables us to separate claims about whether a system is democratic from the consequences democracy is thought to produce

• less subjective than other forms of government

Fear of tyranny of the majority is one reason why the Ancient Greeks advocated for democracy. t or f

false

Switzerland comes close to having a direct democracy via its use of referendum votes. t o f

True

Minimalist approaches to democracy view free and fair elections as a necessary and sufficient condition for democracy. T or f

True

Define necessary in regard to democratic voting

part of the definition

Define sufficient in regard to democratic voting

it’s enough

Both maximalist and minimalist approaches to democracy emphasize the importance of voter turnout. T o F

False

What do minimalists care about in terms of voting

Just care about free and fair elections
Voter turnout is completely separate

Maximalist approaches to democracy are the norm in contemporary research. T or f

False

Why do researchers use the minimalist definition of democracy

If you include every little thing when your researching, it’s really hard to see the direct correlation

The percentage of elections in the world that are free and fair has increased since the end of the Cold War. T or F

False
more elections claim to be free and fair, but aren’t actually free nor fair

Is economic growth rates higher in democracies or dictatorships

About the same

What’s the variance in economic growth rates in dictatorships compared to democracies

Democracies have much less variation compared to dictatorships

Describe how the power in dictatorships is

more concentrated in one person, so you can have horrible economic policies under one leader and have good economic policies under another

Is it easier to implement economic policies in democracies or dictatorships

in dictatorships since in democracies there are more layers to go through to implement economic policies

What is an example of a good dictatorship

Singapore

Is life expectancy higher in democracies or dictatorships

democracies

What are the 5 main advantages of democracy

1. free and fair elections are associated with things people actually care about

2. More investment in public goods (since people in power investing in public goods leads them to be voted in again

3. Has less repression

4. Life expectancy is higher

5. More peace and stability (less war)

Define a dictatorship

a political system where leaders aren’t selected in free and fair elections

Is the UK a dictatorship

Prime Minister is the real policy person in the UK, so it’s technically a monarchy

Definition of a regime

Rules for choosing leaders and policies

What are the 2 important things that regimes show

1. important to classify leaders

2. Shows who’s really in charge and how they align

When the leader of a country changes, does the regime chage?

No not usually, it stays more likely than not

What percentage if the time does the regime change when the leader changes

50%

Definition of authoritarian leaders

the individual people who hold and exercise political power, often with few limits on their authority

Definition of authoritarian regimes

the entire political system that allows a leader or small group to rule without genuinely free and fair elections

Define regime change

leadership group changes, rules for making decisions changes

Example of regime change

the Fall of the Berlin Wall in East Germany

What are the 3 key actors in dictatorships

leader, elites, and masses

Define elites (dictatorship)

the inner circle of the leader, those who they trust most
has some amount of influence on policies and the leader

Define masses (dictatorship)

regular people

no authoritarian regime can survive without some support from the people ; not all people but some people are all you need

How does the economy play in to what type of government is present in a country

Poorer countries are usually dictatorships

Richer countries are usually democratic

Describe the upticks in authoritarian governments

During the Cold War, there was a large uptick

Currently another uptick now

How many countries have authoritarian governments

just under half

What types of regimes does genocides happen under

authoritarian regimes

What are the 3 main stereotypes about dictatorships

1. run by a single person with absolute power

2. brutal and repressive

3. leader often eccentric/crazy

What is another name for North Korea

DPRK

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea

Capital of North Korea

Pyongyang

Life expectancy of men and women in North Korea

Men 66 years

Women 72 years

Leader of North Korea

Kim Jong-un

Who are the key players in North Korea (other than Kim Jong-un)

Family members of Kim Jong-un, Korean Workers’ Party

Are North of South Koreans shorter, and by how much

North Koreans by 1-3 inches

Why are North Koreans shorter than South Koreans

There isn’t enough food for everyone because the government hoards it

1 in 3 kids are malnourished

Describe the state of nuclear weapons in North Korea

missile tests have risen dramatically under Kim Jong-un

Things are dangerous because of the number of missile tests

What did Kim Jong-un do to his family when he rose to power

Executed many inner circle members including his uncle

Trying to send a message to show he’s in charge

Economic growth rates are about the same in dictatorships an democracies, but the variance is higher in democracies. T or F

False

What type of government does variance happen under

Dictatorships

Research shows that democracies deliver better for their citizens than dictatorships. T or F

True

A dictatorship is a political system where free and fair elections are not used to select the leadership. T or F

True

How is voting in dictatorships

Some say that the elections happen but aren’t really free or fair

Can only have one party on the ballot

An authoritarian regime almost always ends when the leader loses power. T or F

False

Authoritarian regime change occurs when the leadership group and the rules for making decisions change. T or F

True

In modern dictatorships, some regimes feature multi-party elections, but most do not. T or F

False

We are more likely to see authoritarianism when countries have lower levels of wealth. T or F

True

Kim Jong-un became the leader of North Korea after staging a coup against his father, Kim Jong-il. T or F

False

The US and North Korea don’t have diplomatic relations. T or F

True

Leader of the UAE

Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Who are the key players in the UAE

Supreme Council of Rulers, made up of 7 emirs

What defines the social classes in the UAE

Bloodline

Does the UAE have elections

no

What are the 6 main perks of being an Emirati Citizen

1. tax-free income

2. subsidized healthcare and fuel

3. generous government retirement plans (can retire at 49)

4. Access to land to build homes with interest-free loans

5. Free higher education at public universities

6. Occasionally, the rulers have even paid the debts of Emiratis ahead of major holidays

Who's the leader of Singapore

Lawrence Wong

Who is the key player in Singapore

People’s Action Party

What is the government in Singapore

Dominant-party dictatorship

How long has Lawrence Wong (Singapore) been in power

Since the independence in 1965

What is the GDP per capita in Singapore compared to the US

about the same

What are the elections like in Singapore

regular multi-party elections

What are the 5 weird things that are illegal in Singapore

1. spitting

2. selling gum

3. connecting to someone else’s Wi-Fi

4. not flushing a public toilet

5. feeding pigeons

What is the voting like in Singapore

fall short on free and fair-ness

What are the elections like in Singapore (4 points)

• Electoral rules biased to favour the PAP

• Use of defamation lawsuits to punish political opponents

• Restrictions on political films and TV programs

• Government influence over media and the courts

Example of a good dictator

Jigme Singye Wangchuck

Example of a bad dictator

Mobutu Sese Seku

The UAE was a dictatorship until 2006, when it democratized. T or F

False ; it’s still authoritarian/dictatorship

The UAE is a federation of 7 fairly autonomous states. T or F

True ; each of the states is run by a very powerful Emir

The US and UAE have had tense relations since the UAE gained independence from the UK in 1971. T or F

False ; the UAE and the US have very close ties, which is reflected in their military relations

One reason Singapore is considered a dictatorship is that electoral rules are biased to favor the People’s Action Party. T or F

True

Singapore is one of the poorest countries in the world. T or F

False; they are an outlier rich district

The cases of Singapore and the UAE illustrate that a defining feature of dictatorship is the concentration of power in the hands of a single individual. T or F

False; there is a lot of variance in dictatorships