review for POS

What is Przeworski's definition of democracy?

A political system in which people choose governments through elections and have a reasonable possibility of removing incumbents they do not like.

What does a minimalist, electoral definition of democracy emphasize?

Elections and the ability of voters to remove governments from power.

What is the most important way citizens discipline politicians according to Przeworski?

Through elections because politicians want to stay in office and can be removed by voters.

What makes an election genuinely democratic?

Voters must have a meaningful opportunity to choose between alternatives and remove the incumbent government.

What is a crisis?

A situation that cannot continue as it is; the current status quo has become untenable and something must change.

Does every disaster mean democracy is in crisis?

No. A disaster does not automatically threaten the survival or functioning of democratic institutions.

What is a crisis of democratic governance?

A situation in which democratic institutions cannot manage conflict, maintain public order, or govern effectively.

What does Juan Linz argue about democratic crises?

Democratic institutions can fail to sustain public order or mediate conflict, creating a crisis of stability and governance.

What are the two examples Przeworski's slides identify as major democratic crises?

Weimar Germany and Chile under Salvador Allende.

What is the main lesson from Przeworski's historical cases?

Political conflict does not automatically destroy democracy; the ability of institutions and political actors to manage conflict matters.

What happens when election results have too little at stake?

Voters may believe elections do not affect their lives and lose faith in the political system.

What happens when election results have too much at stake?

Losing groups may face intolerable costs and resist the government rather than accept electoral defeat.

What does Przeworski mean when he says something must be at stake, but not too much?

Elections must matter to voters, but losing an election should not be so costly that political groups reject the result.

Why is the ability to govern important to democracy?

Governments must be able to make decisions and govern competently while managing competing interests.

What are the three signs of a possible democratic crisis in the lecture slides?

Erosion of traditional party systems; rise of right-wing populism; decline in support for democracy.

What is erosion of traditional party systems?

The weakening of established political parties and the loss of their traditional voter support.

What is right-wing populism?

A political movement that claims to represent ordinary people against an elite establishment and often promotes nationalism and anti-immigration positions.

What is anti-elitism?

The belief or political message that ordinary people are being mistreated or ignored by powerful elites and established institutions.

What does it mean that right-wing populist movements can be anti-institutional but not anti-electoral?

They may criticize or weaken institutions while still participating in elections to gain power.

What examples of right-wing populist parties appear in the lecture slides?

Hungary's Fidesz; Poland's Law and Justice Party (PiS); France's National Rally.

What does declining support for democracy mean?

Surveys show that some people, including increasing numbers of young people, consider living in a democracy less essential.

What event accelerated declining support for democracy according to the slides?

The 2008 global financial crisis.

Why does Przeworski warn against treating declining survey support as proof of democratic collapse?

Survey attitudes alone do not establish that democratic institutions are actually failing.

What are the two broad potential causes of democratic crisis in the lecture slides?

Economic problems and divisiveness.

What is income stagnation?

Slower economic growth and limited improvement in people's incomes.

What is economic inequality?

Unequal distribution of income or wealth among individuals and households.

How has employment changed according to Przeworski's discussion of economic causes?

Industrial employment has declined while service-sector employment, including lower-wage jobs, has increased.

What is political polarization?

A situation in which people's political preferences become divided into distinct groups that are far apart.

What is political hostility?

Negative or hostile behavior toward people who hold opposing political views.

What is the difference between polarization and hostility?

Polarization is about differences in political opinions; hostility is about how people treat those with different opinions.

Why is immigration an important example of polarization?

Political opinions about immigration have become particularly divided.

What role can racism play in political divisiveness?

Racial prejudice can intensify political divisions and can be expressed through debates and policies about immigration.

What is the main argument of Przeworski's Part III?

Democracy depends on elections that manage social conflict, but governments can gradually weaken democracy from within.

What does Przeworski mean by subversion by stealth?

The gradual weakening of democracy through a series of small changes that collectively undermine democratic institutions.

What is democratic backsliding?

The gradual erosion of democratic institutions, rights, competitive elections, and the rule of law.

Why is subversion by stealth difficult to recognize?

Individual changes may appear minor or legitimate, making their cumulative effect difficult to notice.

What are examples of actions that can contribute to democratic backsliding?

Changing electoral rules, redistricting, harassing opposition groups, restricting NGOs, weakening judicial independence, and controlling media.

What are parchment barriers?

Written constitutional rules and protections that cannot defend democracy by themselves if political actors and institutions do not enforce them.

Why might citizens fail to oppose democratic backsliding early?

They may not recognize the long-term consequences, may benefit from government policies, or may believe each individual change is harmless.

What does Przeworski say is important for preventing subversion by stealth?

Citizens who value democracy must recognize the cumulative effects of changes and oppose democratic erosion early.

What is the main argument of Clay Risen's article about the Weimar Republic?

Weimar's collapse was not inevitable; anti-democratic political actors and the failure of democratic elites to stop them helped destroy it.

What was the Weimar Republic?

Germany's democratic republic established after World War I, with its constitution approved in 1919.

What was Article 48 of the Weimar Constitution?

An emergency-powers provision that allowed the president to take emergency measures, subject to parliamentary checks.

Why does Risen challenge the idea that the Weimar Constitution alone caused its collapse?

The constitution had democratic protections and survived major crises; political choices and anti-democratic forces were also crucial.

What was the Great Depression's effect on Weimar Germany?

It severely worsened economic and political conditions, but the republic survived for nearly four more years after the Depression began.

How did Hitler become chancellor in January 1933 according to Risen?

Through a political power struggle and decisions by conservative elites who believed they could use or control him.

What is the main lesson Risen draws from Weimar Germany?

Democracy can be dismantled from within, especially when anti-democratic forces exploit institutions and democratic leaders fail to defend them.

What was the 1932 Prussian coup?

Hindenburg used emergency powers to remove the elected Prussian government and replace its leadership with Franz von Papen.

What does the Prussian coup illustrate about democratic institutions?

Legal and constitutional protections may not be enough if institutions fail to enforce their own decisions.

What is the main subject of Winter on Fire: Ukraine's Fight for Freedom?

The Ukrainian protest movement and struggle over the country's political direction, showing mass mobilization and conflict over democratic aspirations.

What is the central connection between Winter on Fire and democracy?

It raises questions about popular participation, political power, protest, state authority, and the struggle over a country's political future.

What is the main subject of The Official Story (1985)?

A teacher in Argentina in 1983 begins questioning the origins of her adopted daughter during the final months of the military dictatorship.

What historical context is important for understanding The Official Story?

Argentina's military dictatorship, disappearances, adoption, truth, memory, and accountability.

How does The Official Story connect to democracy?

It explores the consequences of authoritarian rule and the importance of truth and accountability during a transition toward democracy.

What is Przeworski's definition of democracy in the September 2026 NYT interview?

A system in which political conflicts are managed through elections and parties can lose elections.

What does Przeworski mean by maximalist ideas of democracy?

Beliefs that democracy must produce particular outcomes, such as economic equality or the promotion of specific social or religious values.

What is the difference between minimalist and maximalist democracy?

Minimalist democracy focuses on elections and the ability to remove governments; maximalist democracy expects democracy to produce broader social, economic, or moral outcomes.

Why are elections important even when people are disappointed with the results?

They allow people who lose today to hope that their preferred parties can win in a future election.

What does Przeworski mean by the phrase "a necessary virtue of a democrat is to know how to lose elections"?

Political groups must accept electoral defeat and remain willing to compete again in future elections.

What is the difference between problems of democracy and problems for democracy?

Problems of democracy undermine democratic rules, such as unfair elections; problems for democracy make governing difficult, such as poorly functioning institutions.

Why does Przeworski distinguish a problem of democracy from a problem for democracy?

Not every serious social or government problem means democracy itself is being undermined.

What does Przeworski say about the relationship between democracy and inequality?

Democracy does not automatically eliminate economic inequality, despite longstanding expectations that it would.

What concern does Przeworski raise about changing election rules at the last moment?

It can make voters believe elections are illegitimate because the rules were changed to affect the outcome.

What does Przeworski identify as a possible source of public distrust in institutions?

The influence of money in politics and the possibility that institutional actors serve their own interests.

Does Przeworski argue that every victory by a right-wing party means democracy is weakening?

No. If parties accept that they can lose future elections, their electoral victories do not automatically mean democracy is weakening.

What does Przeworski say about the possibility of a democratic crisis in the United States in the 2026 interview?

He describes the future as uncertain and says he sees a potential crisis, while emphasizing that prediction is difficult.