150 likes | 610 Vues
Democracies, Semi-democracies and authoritarian political systems - II. TYPES OF POLITICAL SYSTEMS :. Liberal Democracy vs. Illiberal-democracy vs. Authoritarian <-----------------------------------------------------------------> Consolidated vs. Transitional states
E N D
Democracies, Semi-democracies and authoritarian political systems - II
TYPES OF POLITICAL SYSTEMS: Liberal Democracy vs. Illiberal-democracy vs. Authoritarian <-----------------------------------------------------------------> Consolidated vs. Transitional states <----------------------------------------------------------------> Developed vs. Developing states <----------------------------------------------------------------->
Authoritarian systems Characteristics? • non-democracy? • A system in which power is held (or arrogated) by a single individual or group without reference to elections or popular control
Varieties of authoritarianism • Tyranny? • Simple dictatorship • Rule by a single individual or group • Military government • Monarchy? • Fascism? • Communism?
Totalitarianism A form of authoritarianism characterized by: • Frequent mobilization of the population • Recourse to terror • A total grip of the state on its citizens: • Atomization of the population • Reduction, if not elimination of any private space • Relatively rare -- a 20th c phenomenon
Examples of totalitarian systems • Nazi Germany • The Soviet Union (USSR) under Stalin • The People’s Republic of China (PRC) under Mao Zedong • North Korea • Cuba?
Communist regimes • A form of authoritarianism characterized by • a dominant Communist Party • constitutionally mandated to control and guide the state apparatus, • implement socialism and prepare the way for an eventual communist system in which • The state has withered away • Society is organized on the principle “from each according to his (her) means; to each according to their needs
`Actually existing’ Communism A party-state system, characterized by • A single communist party monopolizing of dominating political life • The Communist Party inter-penetrates and dominates the state • The Communist Party organizes and mobilizes the population • The Communist Party monopolizes access to the political system
Authoritarianism vs. Totalitarianism • Authoritarian systems lack (or fail to maintain) the total grip characteristic of totalitarian systems – there is some private space beyond the grasp of the state • Less recourse to force or arbitrary terror: • What is and is not acceptable is more predictable • There may be a state of law
Examples of authoritarian systems: • The Soviet Union after Stalin • The People’s Republic of China after Mao • Portugal from 1926-1974 (Salazar gov’t 1932-1968) • Spain from 1939-1975 (Franco dictatorship • Iran • Pakistan
ILLIBERAL DEMOCRACY • What is it? • Illiberal democracy v. semi-democracy? Is there a difference? • Semi-democracy v. semi-authoritarian: • is the glass half empty or half full? • Does it matter?
ILLIBERAL DEMOCRACY - 2 • How does illiberal democracy differ from • Liberal democracy? • Authoritarianism? • Examples of illiberal democracy? • Is illiberal democracy becoming a more common form of government? If so, why?
REMINDER PLEASE SIGN UP FOR THE POSC2300 LISTSERV (follow directions on p. 2 of the course outline)
STUDENT INFORMATION CARD • Political Science 2300 • Name • Student number • Local address • Home address (if different) • Telephone • E-mail • Year of study • Major • minor