What Is Democracy? Key Terms for Democracy and Democratization

Vocabulary flashcards covering key concepts, definitions, and distinctions from the lecture on democracy, democratization, and state capacity.

Democracy

A regime in which the state–citizen relations feature broad, equal, protected, and mutually binding consultation.

Democratization

Net movement toward broader, more equal, more protected, and more binding consultation.

De-democratization

Net movement toward narrower, more unequal, less protected, and less binding consultation.

Regime

A set of relations between states and citizens (and other actors) that define how public politics operates.

State capacity

The extent to which state interventions in resources, activities, and interpersonal connections alter distributions and empower or constrain actors; the ability of the state to enforce decisions.

Breadth

The range of citizenship inclusion in public politics.

Equality

The degree of political and social equality among citizens; equal rights across categories and groups.

Protection

The level of protection against arbitrary state action, including due process and rule of law.

Mutually binding consultation

A relationship in which the state and citizens have enforceable obligations to participate and deliver benefits in policy-making.

Constitutional definition

A definition of democracy based on laws and legal arrangements governing political activity.

Substantive definition

A definition of democracy focused on outcomes like human welfare, freedom, security, equity, and public deliberation.

Procedural definition

A definition of democracy focused on political practices, especially elections and related procedures.

Process-oriented definition

A definition of democracy that emphasizes ongoing political processes such as participation, voting equality, enlightened understanding, agenda control, and inclusion.

Dahl's six institutions (polyarchal democracy)

A regime with elected officials; free, fair, and frequent elections; freedom of expression; alternative information; associational autonomy; inclusive citizenship.

Polyarchal democracy

A democracy characterized by a dynamic, interlocking set of six institutions that enable ongoing political participation and competition.

Enlightened understanding

Within Dahl’s criteria: equal opportunities for learning about relevant policies and their consequences.

Inclusion of adults

All or most adult residents have full citizenship rights.

Trust networks

Interpersonal networks (e.g., kinship, religious groups, trades) that connect people to public politics.

Insulation from inequality

Public politics becoming less determined by major categorical inequalities (e.g., race, gender, ethnicity).

Autonomy of major power centers

The degree to which powerful non-state actors (warlords, patron-client networks, armies, religious groups) can operate independently of public politics.

High-capacity undemocratic

A regime with strong state capacity but limited democratic rights and citizen participation.

Low-capacity democratic

A regime with limited state capacity but with some democratic elements and citizen participation.