CONSOCIATIONALISM
CONSOCIATIONALISM
A brief study by Oloruntuyi Ifeoluwa Olusayo
INTRODUCTION
A large percentage of pluralistic communities live divided and therefore find it difficult to have a stable democratic government. In a community where the minority feel they are being cheated by the majority and are unable to be a part of decision making, these minorities are likely to defend themselves by resorting to fights and thus creating instability. Therefore, to stabilize such communities, leaders resort to making sure these minorities are involved in government.
This short study discusses the principle of Consociationalism in Federalism, with the use of the political system in Northern Ireland as a case study. The study also discusses the merits and demerits of Consociationalism and its effectiveness in present day democracies.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Consociationalism has been discussed as a suitable form of democracy for plural societies by many political scientists, starting from a doyen of Political Science - Arend Lijphart ( 1977), Juan Linz, John McGarry and Brendan O’Lear. Arend Lijphart (1977) discusses its success in a study of Scandinavian countries-the Netherlands, Belgium, and Switzerland where he says it has helped to stabilize these small societies over the years. Certain scholars have however criticized the success of consociationalism. Arend Lijphart (1975) himself first applied the theory of consociationalism to Northern Ireland where he was pessimistic about the prospects for its success in the region because of the absence of the support of the protestant majority and their capability of exercising hegemonic power over the region. However by mid 1990s, he was more confident that consociational democracy is the only “viable option” for Northern Ireland’1. He argued that it was wrong to conclude that power sharing cannot be successful. Brendan O’Leary and McGarry John (2004) have also applied consociational theory to Northern Ireland and have dimmed it fit as the
A brief study by Oloruntuyi Ifeoluwa Olusayo
INTRODUCTION
A large percentage of pluralistic communities live divided and therefore find it difficult to have a stable democratic government. In a community where the minority feel they are being cheated by the majority and are unable to be a part of decision making, these minorities are likely to defend themselves by resorting to fights and thus creating instability. Therefore, to stabilize such communities, leaders resort to making sure these minorities are involved in government.
This short study discusses the principle of Consociationalism in Federalism, with the use of the political system in Northern Ireland as a case study. The study also discusses the merits and demerits of Consociationalism and its effectiveness in present day democracies.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Consociationalism has been discussed as a suitable form of democracy for plural societies by many political scientists, starting from a doyen of Political Science - Arend Lijphart ( 1977), Juan Linz, John McGarry and Brendan O’Lear. Arend Lijphart (1977) discusses its success in a study of Scandinavian countries-the Netherlands, Belgium, and Switzerland where he says it has helped to stabilize these small societies over the years. Certain scholars have however criticized the success of consociationalism. Arend Lijphart (1975) himself first applied the theory of consociationalism to Northern Ireland where he was pessimistic about the prospects for its success in the region because of the absence of the support of the protestant majority and their capability of exercising hegemonic power over the region. However by mid 1990s, he was more confident that consociational democracy is the only “viable option” for Northern Ireland’1. He argued that it was wrong to conclude that power sharing cannot be successful. Brendan O’Leary and McGarry John (2004) have also applied consociational theory to Northern Ireland and have dimmed it fit as the
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