Authoritarianism Flashcards

1. Question - Puzzle

2. Theory or Model

3. Implications (Hypotheses)

4. Observations (Test Hypotheses)

5. Evaluation

The ability of a hypothesis or theory to be proven false through empirical evidence or experimentation.

1. Tautologies

2. Statements about unobservable phenomena

1. Free and transparent media

2. Free and fair elections

3. Free market

4. Separation of powers

1. Substantive View - emphasis on experience of citizens living in the state - expression, criticism of state

   - focuses more on outcomes

2. Procedural or Minimalist View - whether or not the country observes the rule of law

   - Focuses more on mechanisms and structures

The idea that any large country in the world will ever be fully democratised.

Inclusion - the extent that citizens can politically participate

Contestation - the ability for groups to contest against the government (political parties, pressure groups)

1. Democracy-Dictatorship

2. Polity IV

3. Freedom House

1. The chief executive is elected

2. The legislature is elected

3. There is more than one party competing in elections

4. There has been an alternation in power under identical electoral rules

1. Competitiveness of Executive recruitment

2. Openness of executive recruitment

3. Executive constraints / decisions rules

4. Regulation of political participation

5. Competitiveness of participation

• Political rights (right to vote and compete for office) - Country awarded 0-4 points for each of ten questions

• Civil Rights (freedom of speech etc.) - Country awarded 0-4 points for each of fifteen questions

• Attributes

• Aggregation issues

• Measurement level

1. Conceptualisation

2. Validity

3. Replicability

4. Reliability

The process of forming abstract ideas or concepts based on specific observations or experiences. It involves understanding and representing complex information in a simplified and organized manner to enhance comprehension and problem-solving skills.

• Repeatedly and consistently produces the same score for a given case when we apply the same measurement process

• Includes several people, when given the same rules for measuring democracy, all produce the same democracy for a given country

The ability of a study's findings to be reproduced or replicated by other researchers using the same methods and data to determine if similar results are obtained.

• Monarchies

• Military dictatorships

• Civilian dictatorships

Civilian Dictatorships:

• Dominant-party dictatorships

• Personalistic dictatorships

Flashcard: Difference between Military and Civilian dictatorships?

Military dictatorship: Form of government where the military holds power and controls the state. The military usually seizes control through a coup or rebellion.

Civilian dictatorship: Form of government where a single individual or a small group holds power and controls the state. They are not affiliated with the military and gain power through non-military means.

Note: Both types of dictatorships involve the concentration of power in the hands of a few, but the key distinction lies in the involvement of the military.

• Lack an independent authority with the power to enforce agreements among key political actors

• Violence is the ultimate arbiter of conflicts in authoritarian politics

1. Military involvement

2. Restrictions on political parties

3. Legislative Selection

1. None

2. Indirect

3. Corporate

4. Personal

1. Parties banned

2. Single party

3. Multi-party

1. None

2. Unelected or appointed legislature

3. One party

4. Largest party controls >75% of seats

5. Largest party controls <75% of seats

6. Nonpartisan legislature

1. Unelected

2. One party / candidate

3. Selected by a small unelected body

4. Elected by >75% of the vote

5. Elected by <75% of the vote

1. Partially democratic regime

2. Tutelary regimes - elected govts are constrained by non-elected institutions

3. Semi-competitive democracies - elections are free but a major party is banned

4. Competitive Authoritarianism is a subset of civilian dictatorships

5. Competitive Authoritarianism is a type of hybrid or semi-democratic regime

CA:

• Lack of free and fair elections - no massive fraud, but election results are still tampered

• Civil liberties only “nominally guaranteed” / “partially respected”

• Lack of reasonably level playing field

Democracy:

• Free and fair elections - virtually no fraud or voter intimidation; opposition can campaign on relatively even footing

• Civil liberties protected

• Reasonably level playing field

1. State institutions are used for partisan end

2. Incumbents are systematically favoured

3. Opposition’s ability to organise and compete in elections is handicapped

1. Access to resources

2. Access to media

3. Biased referees

1. Nominal measure - used for variables that have no quantitative values - Ethnicity

2. Ordinal measure - used for variables that do have a natural order, but no quantitive differences between values - socioeconomic status

3. Interval measure - scale used to label variables that have a natural order and equal intervals between variables - temperature

1. Liberal democracy

2. Electoral democracy

3. Ambiguous regimes

4. Competitive authoritarian

5. Hegemonic electoral authoritarian

6. Politically closed authoritarian

Hegemonic electoral regime - one dominant party

Competitive authoritarian regime - Multiparty system

Military dictatorship - no party or legislature

Autocrats need to prevent their authority from being ruled over by the masses as they have little legitimacy, whilst also needing their cooperation for economic benefit

• Problem of authoritarian control (masses pose a threat to the dictator as they are excluded from power)

• Problem of power sharing (dictators face a threat from elites within government who may seek to replace the dictator)

Military can gain significant leverage against the government, meaning a coup is more likely. Resources and policy concessions will have to siphoned off to the military to prevent this.

Bribes to individuals but may include broader benefits like state employment or public works programs

A contested autocracy is a balancing act between autocrat and their elites- elites use the threat of rebellion to keep a dictator in check.

A dictator has accumulated so much power they cannot be credibly challenged. Typically leads to personalistic rule and personality cults.

There are dire consequences (death or exile is almost certain) and there is a lack of information on the dictator's intentions

Perfect political control, military tutelage and brinkmanship bargaining

False. Svolik views them as compliments whereas Gandhi views them as substitutes.

Provides a forum for individuals willing to collaborate with the regime, individuals receive perks, privileges and potential for career advancement.

Legislatures

True

Vertical command structure, different benefits associated with each level of hierarchy

Institutions reduce insecurity and political transaction costs

Need for cooperation, the degree of polarisation and the strength of the opposition

Political control over appointments, hierarchical assignment of service and benefits and selective recruitment and repression

Sunk costs

False

True

Describes the dictator's incentive to betray allies- to defect on promise to share spoils of joint rule and take it all for themselves.

All leaders are motivated by the desire to gain and maintain office.

The selectorate is the set of people who can play a role in selecting the leader.

Public goods and private goods

The ratio of W/S represents the probability a member of the selectorate will be in the winning coalition.

Mobilisation power (single-party regimes) and state autonomy

A lack of stable set of rules and the state does not respect contracts (as there is no independent authority to guarantee agreements)

• Reduces the likelihood of a military coup

• Gives the military resources to suppress any potential mass opposition to the dictator

They are more liberties, lower military spending and higher social spending (theoretically)

There is increased information via institutions, thus domestic groups are less likely to rebel as they can negotiate with the regime and there is lower political transaction costs between regime and opposition.

• No independent authority to enforce agreements.

• Violence is the ultimate arbiter of conflicts and is an ever-present threat.

Institutions help by alleviating monitoring problems and increase transparency.

True

• Avoid unnecessary intra-elite conflict due to increased information

• Should be more durable (Svolik argues there is a greater threat from elites rather than masses)

• Hybrid regimes are neither fully authoritarian nor fully democratic

• A reasonably level playing field does not exist, but the incumbent may still lose power in elections.

1. Institutions under dictatorships are a sham

2. The formation of such institutions allows opposition to organise and make progress in liberalising the regime → democratic transitions

1. Dictators do not have the same legitimacy as democratic leaders, as they aren’t chosen by their citizens

2. Dictators need some form of cooperation from those they rule

   1. More internal stability = more internal prosperity

1. Rents

2. Policy compromises

1. No legislature

2. Appointed

3. Elected but… vetted or partial elections

• Establishment of free & fair elections

• Broad protection of civil liberties and rights

• Implementation of more level playing field

1. Western linkage and leverage

   1. Economic, political, social, organisational ties with the West

2. Dictator’s organisational power (internally / domestically)

   1. External pressure is weaker

   2. Domestic factors become more important