Three Paradoxes of Democracy
Three Paradoxes of Democracy
1. Consent vs. effectiveness
2. Conflict vs. Consensus
3. Representation vs. Governability
What's effective may not be what is popular
-economic policies are a good example hyperinflation and other painful unpopular reforms
-even in established democracies you are thinking about getting elected not long term policies Examples:
Free trade job loss
Terrorism loss of personal liberties
Deficit spending people like low taxes but also like government programs
Environmental issues
Conflict vs. Consensus: debate needs to happen but shouldn't go too far (need a healthy medium) people still need to trust and follow their government's decisions
Representation vs. Governability: local interests vs. effective national policy
Is democracy the best system?
Marxism would assert that in a capitalist system the owners of the means of production control the government challenges to democracy were fascism and Marxism
Fascism: democracy is too weak and ineffective need a strong leader to lead the nation to new heights main proponents defeated in WWII
New enemies? Islamic extremists what people call "Asian Values" but Asia is a vast area with VERY diverse cultures
SEN democracy is a universal value (accepted worldwide) not whether or not you have the right condition, it can work anywhere! Dispels the economics first notion yes some auth regimes have been fast growing but it can go either way
DEMOCRACY HELPS THE POOR no famines in democracies people are allowed to put pressure on their governments
Elklit and Svensson
-freedom is more important than impartiality/fairness
Two aspects of fairness:
Regularity: impartial application of the law (this has to be there)
Reasonableness: securing roughly equal opportunities for exercise of political freedoms more general and much harder to obtain no democracy has managed it!
Pre-elections are very important but often overlooked
Problems with
1. Consent vs. effectiveness
2. Conflict vs. Consensus
3. Representation vs. Governability
What's effective may not be what is popular
-economic policies are a good example hyperinflation and other painful unpopular reforms
-even in established democracies you are thinking about getting elected not long term policies Examples:
Free trade job loss
Terrorism loss of personal liberties
Deficit spending people like low taxes but also like government programs
Environmental issues
Conflict vs. Consensus: debate needs to happen but shouldn't go too far (need a healthy medium) people still need to trust and follow their government's decisions
Representation vs. Governability: local interests vs. effective national policy
Is democracy the best system?
Marxism would assert that in a capitalist system the owners of the means of production control the government challenges to democracy were fascism and Marxism
Fascism: democracy is too weak and ineffective need a strong leader to lead the nation to new heights main proponents defeated in WWII
New enemies? Islamic extremists what people call "Asian Values" but Asia is a vast area with VERY diverse cultures
SEN democracy is a universal value (accepted worldwide) not whether or not you have the right condition, it can work anywhere! Dispels the economics first notion yes some auth regimes have been fast growing but it can go either way
DEMOCRACY HELPS THE POOR no famines in democracies people are allowed to put pressure on their governments
Elklit and Svensson
-freedom is more important than impartiality/fairness
Two aspects of fairness:
Regularity: impartial application of the law (this has to be there)
Reasonableness: securing roughly equal opportunities for exercise of political freedoms more general and much harder to obtain no democracy has managed it!
Pre-elections are very important but often overlooked
Problems with