Classifying Countries:
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Transcript of Classifying Countries:
Classifying Countries:
Liberal Democracies, Semi-Democracies, and Authoritarian
Systems
What do we expect to find in a democracy?
• Inclusiveness– all or almost all of the adult population entitled
to vote
• Elections– free and fair elections -- elections with choice
• competition
Dimensions of liberal democracy:
Hi
Public
Contestation
lo
hi lo
Inclusiveness
Mexico before 2000:
– constitution– some restrictions on political rights– some competition– elections, but not entirely free and fair
elections– dominance of the PRI (Party of Institutional
Revolution)
Two transitions and their outcomes:
• The (former) Soviet Union
• The People’s Republic of China
Soviet Union:
• Gorbachev’ s attempt to reform the system in the 1980s– Glasnost– Perestroika
• Increasing divisions
• Collapse and break-up
• Democratization of former Soviet republics?
The People’s Republic of China
• Deng Xiao Ping and China after Mao
• Tiananmen Square – 1989
• The PRC since 1989– Shift toward capitalism
• End of state controls, iron rice bowl
– Retention of party and state controls
Nigeria:
• First Republic: parliamentary system, 1961-1966
• civil war blocking Biafran secession, 1966-1969
• military rule:– General Gowan, 1969-
1975General
– Obasanjo, 1975/6-1979
• Second Republic: presidential system from 1979-1983
• Military governments from 1983-1993– General Babangida– General Abacha
• Redemocratization in 1993 under Obasanjo