Patterns of Democracy

Patterns of Democracy
Chap 1:
Democracy has legislatures, courts, interest groups and political parties.
Patterns-Majoritarian, consensual.
Democracy, government by the people
Representative Democracy government by the representatives of the people.
1833 Lincoln gave the of, by and for the people speech. Daniel Webster had actually given an earlier speech in 1830 government made for , by and answerable to people.
Who will do the governing and in whose interest when people are in disagreement 1 Majority, 2 consensus model. Latter seeks to maximize the size of the majority., while the former only majority or even a plurality.
1 Exclusive 2 inclusive
Federalism-guaranteed division of power between the center and regions, Decentralized system,-bicameral legislature, one chamber with state representatives.
-Rigid constitution
-strong judicial review
-independent central banks
consensus-cabinets, committees
There is a tendency in political science to equate democracy with majoritarianism. Stephane Lawson “a strong political opposition is the sine qua non of contemporary democracy. Its prime purpose is to become the government”. It does not take into account multi-party coalition systems. Turn over and 2 turnover test, if the party in power on losing the elections hands over power assumes a two party system or 2 blocs. But pure majoritarians are rare the UK, New Zealand, former British colonies, in the Caribbean. Consensus Germany, Luxemburg, Switzerland , the Netherlands, Belgium. Israel, Finland, Italy
Chap 2 Westminster:
The type is widely admired, exported to former colonies. In the UK concentration of power is in one party and (cabinet) with a base in majority with vast powers. Since not every one votes, and opposition parties are strong, the government usually represents a minority of the voters. Sometimes they only have plurality of vote in the parliament.
But in reality as the cabinet is composed of leaders, it is clearly dominant. It is a disciplined 2 party system that gives rise to executive dominance. Multi-party coalition tends to be less dominant (US president and congress rough parity. Latin America, France president much more powerful)
Program and politics of the main parties differs only on socio-economic issues (and often not even that since new labor of Blair), though voter divide (blurred) remains between the working and middle class.
House of Commons has 625 (1950)-659 (1999) members. First past the post (majority or large minority) 1974 with 39.3% votes cast, over 50 % seats for Labor, liberals 13 seats with 18.6% of the vote. Lower % of eligible voters, plutarian democracy 1951 conservatives fewer votes and more seats than labor. 1999 elections to European parliament by proportional representation.
Interest group corporatism, concentration, regular meetings between government, labor and employers, works with strong organizations. Under pluralism multiple interests exert uncoordinated and ineffective pressure. In 1980 Thatcher resorted to confrontation.
The UK is a unitary and centralized state. Local government creatures of central government and power not guaranteed by constitution, and financially dependent on the center.
Concentration of power in a unicameral legislature. House of Lords can only delay, money bills by one month, others by 12 months.
No written constitution:
Magna Carta 1215, Bill of Rights 1689, Parliamentary acts of 1911 and 1949, common law, customs and conventions, can be changed by a simple majority.
No judicial review, parliament no formally bound by the constitution. In 1973 the European Union the UK accepted its laws as higher law in several areas and has introduced judicial review by Europeans and British courts. European Convention of HR 1966. European HR court review and invalidates any state action.
Only in 1997, the Bank of England given powers to set interest rates.
NZ adopted the British system, except since 1996, propotional representation modeled after the German one.
Barbados: 0.25 strong homogenous society of African descent.

Chap 3 Consensus model:
Majoritarian rule is undemocratic as it has an element of exclusion. Sir Arthur Lewis, Nobel economist, democracy means all affected by a decision should have a say in making it directly or through a representative., mitigated if two parties more or less alternate, no where so except in Barbados, and because not much to choose between parties.
In less homogenous societies these conditions do not apply, e.g. Northern Ireland (Unionist 1921-72) majority rule meant majority dictatorship, P R in elections except to the house of commons. Consensus model better for West Africa.
Exists in Belgium, Switzerland, EU. Swiss and Belgian executive power sharing in coalition
Swiss-all parties share, cabinet on PR, language given consideration (German 4-5. French 1-2, Italian 1). Member federal executive council directly elected as are members of legislature. Council powerful, but not supreme, parliamentary but due to coalition cabinet does not dominate..
Belgian_ formal requirement for inclusion of representatives of large linguistic groups (equal for Dutch majority and French minority.
Both multiparty with no party near majority.
Cleavages-Swiss RC –practicing and non-practicing + protestant.
Similar in Belgium + linguistic divide.
PR adds to the cleavage. Corporatism, labor unions not well organized. Social labor and liberal capital, both liberal corporatism concentration .
Federal decentralized, strong bicameral .
Constitutional rigidity, but no judicial review, central bank independence.
EU does not fit the pattern of –executive, legislative judicial or monetary pattern. European council –all heads of the government exert great influence

Chap 4 Democracy 20th century phenomenon- right to vote, to get elected, of politicians to compete for support, free and fair election, freedom of association and expression and media, policy making bodies dependent on voters.
Australia and New Zealand, first to introduce early first decade of 20th century. NZ 1893 universal suffrage, Maoris as well as females, but no office till 1919.Australia no vote aboriginals in federal election till 1962.
Interest groups:
Majoritarian- competitive, uncoordinated independent groups.
Consensus-coordinated, compromise oriented
Authoritarian-controlled by the state.
Macro Economic management and control of violence.
Trade off between majoritarian and effectiveness of government between majoritarian and consensus forms.