Lecture Outline No. 1:
I.
Democracy: from the Greek
"demos" (people) and "kratia" (rule)
II. Participatory or Direct democracy: practiced in ancient Athens, New England town meetings,
Israeli kibbutz. Defining principles:
1. All adult citizens participate in major decisions: the people are
the government
2. Participation and face-to-face democracy is enlightening
3. Problem of scale
III. Classical Representative Democratic Theory (J. S.
Mill, John Locke, Jefferson, Dewey)
"rule by the few, controlled by
the many": Fundamental principles:
A. Popular Sovereignty: the ultimate source of authority rests with
the people and the government does the people’s bidding. Know it when we see it by:
1. Govt policies reflect what people want
2. People participate in the political process
3. High-quality info and debate are available
4. Majority rules
B. Political Equality: Each person carries the same weight in voting
and other decision making.
C. Political Liberty: basic freedoms in the formation and expression
of the popular will and its translation into policy.
D. Delegate Representation
1. Rational
2. Informed:
3. Politically active:
4. Pol. Tolerant:
1. Scale
2. Complexity of issues:
3. High quality information and debate available?
IV.Revisionist/Guardian/Elitist Democratic Theory (Joseph Schumpeter;
Michels, Lippmann; really has roots in Plato's Republic and idea of Guardians).
Another model of rep. demo, but with different assumptions of mass soph and
different form of representation.
1. Background: Democratic “realism”
after WWI and WWII: “ideal” forms of
representative democracy are usually unstable because they rest on unrealistic
assumptions of mas sophistication.
a) Masses are unsophisticated, Lack capacity to govern.
2. Elite Role: downgrade role of masses; upgrade role of elites
a) Trustee Role of Representation: Much less responsive to public
opinion. Rep's should follow their own
conscience
3. Barriers to limit impact of universal participation as much as
possible:
A.
Empirical: Do the theory's
principles fit the "facts" of American political life? How
applicable is the theory as a description or explanation of the current state
of affairs? Revisionist theory claims to fit the facts best.
B.
Normative theory evaluates rather then merely explains. If the theory fails to fit the facts, it may
be used as a reconstructive ideal, as a guide for change. Direct democratic theory is primarily
normative, while representative democratic theory is a blend of both normative
and empirical.
Direct Representative Revisionist
1. Mass Very
active, informed Some attentive enough to very low; just select leaders
Soph. interested keep track of elected w/out deep reflection. Select
officials in- or out-parties based on
simple performance vs. issues.
2. Human
Ave.
citizen capable Middle: capable of ration- Not
capable of self-govt. or
Nature of
self-govt. Humans ally selecting leaders, even
intelligent selction of
very bright; very based on
issues. leaders. Can't
change
optimistic; high lack of capacities.
potential.
3. Mass In
actual decision- Some may go beyond voting, Vote
only; the less
partic. making;
expected to but not necessary or involved,
the better.
take part in all encouraged.
aspects of governing
4. View
of Suspicious;
disallow Trust, but some cynicism. Benevolent. Let them go
Elites them. along;
they take care
of us.
5. Elections No
elections of rep's; Very imp. Elect. Rep's. Extremely imp. Where
Citizens are gvt.; Voting on
issues means "guardians"
are
policy decided by maj rep's may govern with elected.
Policy voting too
mandate
and are accountable difficult for voters. Elites
to
voters. given free rein to implement
whatever policies
they want after
elect.
6. Linkage Congruent;
masses Some, though slippage on None
necessary. Elites
make policy. specific issues. free
to do what they
want betw. elections.