Lesson 5

Question 1

What is democracy?

Answer 1

• Rule by the people
• A form of government offering a workable solution to the fundamental political problem of reaching collective decisions by peaceful means

Question 2

What are the types of democracy?

Answer 2

1. Direct democracy
2. Indirect democracy (Representative democracy)
3. Participatory democracy

Question 3

Definition of direct democracy?

Answer 3

• In a direct democracy, citizens themselves directly make decisions on laws, policies, and other important matters, rather than electing representatives to do so.
• Examples include referendums and initiatives, where citizens vote directly on specific issues or laws.

Question 4

Definition of indirect democracy?

Answer 4

• In an indirect democracy, citizens elect representatives (such as lawmakers or officials) to make decisions on their behalf.
• These elected officials are expected to represent the views and interests of the people but ultimately have the power to make laws, policies, and other decisions.
• It is more practical in large, complex societies where direct participation by all citizens in every decision would be unfeasible.

Question 5

What is classical democracy?

Answer 5

• Began in Athens
• Direct participation
• Citizenship is based on an elite statues
• Meet in the assembly

Question 6

What is the definition of participatory democracy?

Answer 6

• Participatory democracy is a process of collective decision making that combines elements from both direct and representative democracy.
• Citizens have the power to decide on policy proposals and politicians assume the role of policy implementation.

Question 7

Another definition of participatory democracy

Answer 7

• Participatory democracy is a form of government in which the citizens themselves have the opportunity to make decisions about public policy.
• Participatory democracy, like its close relative, direct democracy, seeks to promote a form of self-determination or self-rule in which individuals actively make the decisions that determine how they are to be governed.

Question 8

What is the role of citizens in participatory democracy?

Answer 8

It gives citizens a central role in the making of particular decisions through, for example, public discussion, negotiation, and voting. Indeed, some participatory democrats argue that citizens have an obligation to participate.

Question 9

What do participatory democrats emphasize on?

Answer 9

When participatory democrats assign a role to the state, they often emphasize the importance of educating citizens and providing for a form of communication which promotes political dialogue.

Question 10

Why participatory democracy?

Answer 10

• First, as a principled understanding based on the idea that participation in itself is in line with fundamental democratic principles, in particular equal representation.
• Secondly, and as a functional understanding focusing on the outcome of social participation both in terms of good governance and efficiency.
• Leads to associative democracy

Question 11

What are the benefits of participative democracy?

Answer 11

• The first is the educative function: citizens may increase their civic skills and become more competent if they participate in public decision-making.
• A second its leads to integrative function. Participation contributes to citizens’ feeling of being are public citizens, part of their community. As a consequence, they may also feel more responsible personally for public decisions.
• Thirdly, participatory democracy contributes to a greater legitimacy of decisions.

Question 12

What is political representation?

Answer 12

• Hanna Pitkin (1967) defines representation as to “make present again”.
• Political representation is the activity of making citizens’ voice, opinions, and perspectives “present” in public making processes.

Question 13

When does political representation occur?

Answer 13

Political representation occurs when political actors speak, advocate, symbolize, and act on the behalf of others in the political arena.

Question 14

What are the four types of representation according to Hanna Pitkin Typology of Representation?

Answer 14

1. Formalistic
2. Symbolic
3. Descriptive
4. Substantive

Question 15

What is the definition of formalistic representation?

Answer 15

The institutional arrangements that precede and initiate representation. Formal representation has two dimensions: 1.Authorization and 2. Accountability.

Question 16

What is the definition of symbolic representation?

Answer 16

The way that a representative “stands for” the represented - that is, the meaning that a representative has for those being represented.

Question 17

What is the definition of descriptive representation?

Answer 17

The extent to which a representative resembles those being represented.

Question 18

What is the definition of substantive representation?

Answer 18

The activity of representatives - that, the actions taken on behalf of, in the interest of, as an agent of, and as substitute for the represented.

Question 19

What is the definition of Interest groups?

Answer 19

• Interest groups constitute critical mediating institutions linking citizens and political elites, thereby enhancing participation and representation at all levels of government.
• Groups are also seen as able to supplement the deficiencies of majoritarian institutions of representative democracy

Question 20

What are the two direct democracy instruments that interest groups use to influence policy-making?

Answer 20

1. Initiative
2. Referendum

Question 21

What is the definition of initiative?

Answer 21

• Initiative allows groups of citizens to propose a constitutional amendment or a legislative measure.
• Initiative allows groups to put a new policy issue on the political agenda
• The initiative promoters need to fill a petition bearing a required number of valid citizen signatures.

Question 22

What is the definition of a referendum?

Answer 22

• Referendum allows voters to ratify or reject a constitutional provision or a law that has been initiated and accepted by the government and the legislature.
• Referendum, therefore, enables groups to veto a policy adopted by the legislature

Question 23

How are initiative or referendum process different from legislative law-making, regulatory rule-making, or judiciary litigation?

Answer 23

It requires persuading a majority of voters to support (or oppose) the proposed policy rather than lobbying elected representatives, delivering policy expertise to administrative agencies, or filing lawsuits and co-signing amicus briefs. It thus offers an additional decision-making venue to access the policy process and to influence policy outputs directly

Question 24

What are the advantages of interest groups in a democracy in general?

Answer 24

• Interest groups have the potential to act as a transmission belt between the public and the political system,
• Provide all groups with an opportunity to win support for their ideas and positions
• Joining groups and working for the interests of the group is a natural inclination of citizens and should be encouraged
• The system is fair in that it gives all groups an equitable opportunity to compete

Question 25

What are the advantages of interest groups in a democracy in a direct democracy?

Answer 25

* Direct democracy offers interest groups a new decision-making venue to access the policymaking process and influence policy outputs * Direct democratic institutions alleviate collective action problems, particularly for citizen groups, and thus lead to more representative interest group populations. * Direct democracy restructures the policy process. Interest groups in general and citizen groups in particular are more closely associated with the establishment of public policies in the administrative and legislative venues

Question 26

What are the advantages of interest groups in a democracy under initiative and referendum process?

Answer 26

* Under the initiative process, interest groups, acting as policy entrepreneurs, may bypass the government and the legislature to set the political agenda. * Under the referendum process, they can put into question a policy decided by elected representatives, thus becoming veto players. * Both the initiative and referendum processes eventually grant agenda setting and veto power to the voting public

Question 27

What are the disadvantages of interest Groups in a Democracy?

Answer 27

* Unfair because groups supported by the wealthy have far greater resources to promote their interests * Promotes advancement of interests that don’t always strive for the common good, i.e., large, profit-conscious corporations * Too many groups slow policy making to a state of gridlock * Interest group leaders are not elected, thus interest group dominance of the system is an affront to democracy * Groups concentrate benefits for the few while distributing costs to the many