CH8: Nondemocratic Regimes

Nondemocratic Regime

A political regime controlled by a small group of individuals who exercise power over the state without being constitutionally responsible to the public.

Authoritarianism

A political system in which a small group of individuals exercise power over the state without being constitutionally responsible to the public.

What does nondemocratic regimes deny?

participation, competition, and liberty

Totalitarianism

A form of nondemocratic regime that is highly centralized, with some form of strong ideology that seeks to transform and absorb fundamental aspects of state, society, and the economy, using a wide array of institutions.

What is the main objective of totalitarianism?

To use power to transform the total institutional fabric of a country to meet and ideological goal.

What tools are used to ensure totalitarianism?

Mainly terror and violence to help break and remake structures in the leadership’s image

How does modernization connect to democratic rule?

Modernization is needed to develop an urban and educated middle class to help generate a democracy and avoid a nondemocratic rule.

How does modernization connect to an undemocratic rule?

Changes from modernization can lead to increased inflation, weakening economic development, and destabilize the political order, so governments can step in to help “restore order”

How do elites connect to undemocratic rule?

Elites can be reluctant to give up power when they fear losing economic opportunities and since they already have power, they do not need to cater to the people to gain more.

Resource Curse

Theory of development in which the existence of natural resources in a given state is a barrier to modernization and democracy.

How does society connect to nondemocratic rule?

Civil society can view the state as the primary arena for social organization and focus more on winning the state than building institutions outside of it.

Populism

A political view that emphasizes hostility toward elites and established state and economic institutions and favors greater power in the hands of the public

How do international relations connect to nondemocratic rule?

Occupation, such as Wester imperialism, and imperial institutions can foster authoritarianism by contributing to uneven modernization and weak state autonomy and capacity.

How does culture connect to nondemocratic rule?

Differences in social norms and values can shape the landscape of political activity and call for a nondemocratic rule

How do nondemocratic regimes take political control?

1. fear

2. bribery

3. propaganda

How does fear help with political control?

By using coercion and surveillance

Coercion - shows people what will happen to traitors

Surveillance - helps government prevent opposition from organizing, especially with “secret police”

How does bribery help with political control?

Through co-option, so people are brought inside an organization with a beneficial relationship with it, causing people to be dependent on the regime

Corporatism

A method of co-optation whereby authoritarian systems create or sanction a limits number of organizations to represent the interests of the public and restrict those not set up or approved by the state.

How is state, society, and market under corporatism viewed?

As a single organic body that has its own specific and limited roles to play and is under the control of the state and regime

Clientelism

the state co-opts members of the public by providing specific benefits or favors to a single person or a small group in return for public support

Rent-Seeking

takes form under clientelism; privileged economic benefits mediated by political power

Kleptocracy

“rule by theft”; those in power seek only to drain the state of assets and resources

How does propaganda help with political control?

Through personality cults that promote a leader who supposedly embodies the spirit of the nation.

Under personality cults, who is to blame for the country’s flaws?

The public or external enemies

Models of Nondemocratic Rule

1. personal and monarchical

2. military

3. one-party

4. theocratic

5. illiberal regimes

Personal and Monarchical

rests one the claim that one person alone is fit to run the country, with no clear regime or roles to constrain that person’s rule

patrimonialism

A variant of clientelism whereby a ruler depends on a collection of supporters within the state who gain direct benefits in return for enforcing the ruler’s will

Military Rule

Military decides to take control—through coup d’etats mainly—as it seems to be the only organized force that can ensure stability

Bureaucratic Authoritarianism

A form of military rule in which the state bureaucracy and the military share a belief that a technocratic leadership, focused on rational, objective, and technical expertise, can solve the problems of the country without public paricipaion

One Party Rule

A single political party monopolizes politics and bans other parties or excludes them from power; often break down into the neighborhood, workplace, and university levels

Theocracy

“rule by God”; founded on faiths where it is the sole source of the regime’s authority

Illiberal Regimes

Democratic institutions rest on the rule of law are weakly institutionalized and poorly respected.