Democracy in Comparative Politics

These flashcards cover key concepts related to democracy, regimes, and the processes of democratization as discussed in the POL 202 lecture.

Regime

The formal and informal rules that determine how political power is accessed and exercised.

Democracy

A system of government in which power rests with the people, who exercise that power directly or through elected representatives.

Procedural Definition of Democracy

Defines democracy in terms of the processes involved in political decision-making.

Substantive Definition of Democracy

Focuses on the outcomes or the content of democratic governance, including policies and rights.

Representative Democracy

A form of democracy in which citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.

Direct Democracy

A form of democracy in which citizens directly participate in decision-making.

Democratization

The process by which a country transitions from authoritarianism to democracy.

Democratic Breakdown

The process that leads from democracy to or towards authoritarianism.

Democratic Consolidation

The process through which a new democratic order becomes institutionalized and more likely to endure.

Modernization Theory

A theory that links the development of democracy with economic and social progress.

Cultural Theories

Theories that emphasize the role of cultural factors in the development of democratic institutions.

Systemic or Structural Theories

Theories focusing on systemic factors within society that promote or hinder democratization.

Domestic Institutional Theories

Theories that analyze how internal institutional frameworks affect the establishment of democracy.

Agency-Based Theories

Theories that focus on the role of individual or group agency in promoting democracy.