Chapter 7 text book
Introduction
Transition from economic arguments for democracy to cultural arguments.
Examination of cultural differences and their implications for politics and economics.
Questions raised:
Does democracy require a "democratic culture"?
Are certain cultures incompatible with democracy?
Importance for spreading democracy in regions like the Middle East, Africa, and Asia.
Cultural Arguments for Democracy
Two broad categories of cultural arguments (Laitin 1983, 1986; Przeworski, Cheibub, and Limongi 1998):
Primordialist arguments:
Culture is objective and inherited, fixed since primordial times.
Culture influences politics, making political institutions like democracy incompatible with certain cultures.
Constructivist arguments:
Culture is constructed or invented, malleable to social, economic, and political factors.
Recognition that cultures change, allowing for adaptability to democracy.
Varying ease of cultural adaptation across different cultures.
Classical Cultural Arguments: Mill and Montesquieu
Historical views on culture and political institutions:
Aeschylus (472 B.C.): contrasted Asian authoritarianism with Athenian democracy.
Montesquieu's contributions in the 18th century:
Argued that monarchy suits European states, despotism is suited for the Orient, and democracy for ancient societies.
Emphasized that political institutions must align with a country's climate, geography, economy, and social customs (Montesquieu [1721] 1899, Persian Letter 81).
Stated, “the best government for a given country is that which leads men by following their propensities and inclinations.”
Suggested exporting political institutions successfully is rare.
John Stuart Mill's perspective:
Asserted “no one believes that every people is capable of working every sort of institution” (Mill [1861] 2001, 7).
Claimed that cultural characteristics influence the ability to support better systems of government. Required characteristics:
Moral or mental habits, willingness to cooperate with law and authorities.
A developed press and an effective tax system (Mill [1861] 2001, 11).
While Mill acknowledged cultural importance, he believed cultures could adapt to democracy, reflecting a constructivist view.
Issues in Cultural Arguments
Problems with the claims of Montesquieu and Mill:
Lack of clear definitions of cultural elements influencing democracy.
Noncultural influence factors include geography and economy.
Cultural arguments often vague and non-testable, creating difficulty in empirical evaluation.
Ambiguity on whether culture shapes political institutions or vice versa.
Modern Concepts of Civic Culture
Gabriel Almond and Sidney Verba's book, The Civic Culture (1960s):
Argued that only a civic culture can support democratization. Without it, prospects for democracy are slim ([1963] 1989, 9).
Identified three types of political culture:
Parochial cultures: align with traditional political structures.
Subject cultures: align with centralized authoritarian systems.
Civic cultures: compatible with democracy, characterized by:
Belief in influence over political decisions.
Positive feelings towards political systems.
High levels of interpersonal trust.
Preference for gradual societal change.
Application of survey methodology to evaluate political culture across nations.
Robert Putnam's Argument on Civic Culture
Putnam (Making Democracy Work: Civic Traditions in Modern Italy, 1993):
Emphasized cultural norms producing variations in political performance of regional governments in Italy.
Noted the effectiveness of northern versus southern regional governments with a focus on social capital.
Defined social capital as:
Collective value of social networks promoting reciprocity, trust, and cooperation.
Higher social capital correlates with better government performance; northern regions showed beneficial civic culture, while southern regions exhibited “amoral familism.”
Ronald Inglehart's Contributions
Inglehart (1990):
Connected political culture with overall democratic performance.
Surveyed attitudes in 25 industrial countries, asserting closer links between life satisfaction, interpersonal trust, and democratic stability.
Identified two dimensions of cultural variation:
Traditional vs. secular-rational values.
Survival vs. self-expression values.
Culture shapes democracy:
Societies with high levels of secular-rational and self-expression values are more likely to sustain democracy.
Cultural Modernization Theory
Inglehart and Welzel's view (2005):
Economic development spurs cultural change leading to democracy.
Socioeconomic development makes democracy more likely as societies transition from traditional to modern cultures.
Cultural modernization theory predicts that all regions will achieve democratic statuses as a consequence of economic development.
Economic Development and Cultural Change
Socioeconomic development fosters cultural shifts:
As societies industrialize, values transition from traditional to secular-rational, and from survival to self-expression values.
Pre-industrial societies emphasized family, religion, and agricultural labor.
The Industrial Revolution marked a departure, bringing mass education and technological advances.
Modernization Phases and Cultural Impact
Industrialization Phase:
Shift from traditional values to secular-rational values, marked by rising urbanization and literacy.
Post-Industrialization Phase:
Shift focuses on self-expression values, stressing issues of equality, freedom, and democratic accountability.
In the transition, women gained more opportunities in the workforce, alongside a decline in fertility rates due to economic development.