liberal democracy

Overview of Democracy Models

• Introduction to various models of democracy as structures enhancing liberal democracy.

Models of Democracy

• Participatory Democracy

  • Focus on direct rule, derived from Greek Athenian democracy.

  • Enhances citizens' access to leaders beyond voting.

  • Empowers citizens to ensure accountability of elected leaders.

• Deliberative Democracy

  • Emphasizes discourse and dialogue.

  • Central role of information dissemination via media for effective discourse.

  • Assumes democracy has intrinsic value, rooted in educating citizens.

• Both models aim to address the limitations of elections and voting by fostering direct citizen engagement.

Liberal Democracy

• The foundation for participatory and deliberative democracy.

• Classical Liberalism

  • Maintains a distinction between private (individual autonomy) and public spheres (popular rule).

  • Supported by theorists like John Locke, emphasizing the protection of private interests.

  • Focus on personal freedom over direct participation in politics.

• Unlike participatory and deliberative models, which value citizen engagement and franchise extension based on reason and rationality for voting eligibility.

Critical Models of Democracy

• Joseph Schumpeter's Model

  • Developed a pluralist elitist model analyzing democracy within capitalist structures.

  • Emphasizes competition in political decisions rather than true mass control.

  • Claims democracy is a modern capitalist phenomenon that evolved from feudalism.

  • Critiques classical liberal theorists arguing against individual-centric political action.

  • Establishes that political decisions often cater to capitalist interests over the masses.

• Populist Democracy

  • Shares elements with participatory and deliberative models but operates within a pluralist framework.

  • Engages the electorate through means such as referendums to legitimize popular decisions.

  • Requires a robust civil society with freedom of expression to thrive.

  • Seen in Latin American movements aimed at grassroots engagement and supporting peasant interests.

• Emphasizes the need for organizations to operate freely without state repression on civic engagement and how these interactions legitimize the political processes.