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The Character of Democracy: How Institutions Shape Politics offers a uniquely comprehensive overview of the major democratic institutions found around the world, including electoral systems, party systems, presidential and parliamentary governments, legislatures, federalism, and constitutional courts. The authors first present five broad categories of democratic ideals that reflect the consent of the governed--meaningful elections, fair representation, accountability, majority rule and minority rights, and the functionality of the state--and then explain how well different institutional designs live up to these democratic ideals. For each institution, they provide an in-depth treatment of its related literature, describe variations in how it is structured around the world, and explain why these variations are important to how democratic political systems work. Case studies of the political structures found in Brazil, Germany, Japan, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and the United States illustrate how differences in institutional design affect democratic government.Taking an analytical and scholarly approach that does not advocate any particular democratic design, The Character of Democracy is ideal for advanced courses in comparative politics and/or democratic institutions
Contents
PrefaceCHAPTER ONE: DEMOCRATIC IDEALS IntroductionPURPOSE OF THE BOOK Brief Overview of Varieties of Institutional DesignsDiscussion of Seminal Literature on Consequences of InstitutionsThe Essential Ideals of Democratic GovernmentMeaningful ElectionsFair RepresentationAccountabilityBalance of Interests: Majority Rule and Minority RightsFunctional State: Efficiency and EffectivenessThe Cultivation of LegitimacyCase StudiesOverview of Upcoming ChaptersCHAPTER TWO: ROADS TO DEMOCRACY IntroductionINSTITUTIONAL CHOICE AND EMERGENCE THE LITERATURE ON INSTITUTIONAL ORIGINS Institutional ChoiceElite Influences on Electoral Systems and Regime TypeHistorical InstitutionalismThe Influence of Legacies and RegionInstitutional Choices within Historical ContextsSIX DIFFERENT SETS OF CONCERNS, SIX DIFFERENT SYSTEMS United Kingdom: Evolutionary Change toward Empowering the CommonsUnited States: Establishing Popular Rule and Protecting Against TyrannyGermany: Overcoming the Weimar and Nazi LegaciesJapan: Protecting Against the Past while Ensuring AcceptanceBrazil: Finding Compromise among a Multitude of InterestsSouth Africa: Providing Majority Rule while Building ConsensusINSTITUTIONAL ORIGINS IN PERSPECTIVE CHAPTER THREE: HOW ELECTIONS MATTER IntroductionELECTORAL SYSTEM FAMILIES Attributes of Majoritarian Electoral SystemsSingle-Member District SystemRun-Off VotingAlternative VotingAttributes of Proportional Electoral SystemsClosed List Proportional RepresentationOpen List Proportional RepresentationFlexible List SystemsSingle Transferable VotingVariations within Proportional SystemsDuverger and the Effect of Electoral Systems on Party GovernmentCase Study: Two plus parties in the United KingdomThe Effect of the Electoral System on Democratic IdealsBalance of Interests: Majority Rule and Minority RightsFunctional State: Effectiveness and EfficiencyAccountabilityFair RepresentationMeaningful ElectionsAttributes of Mixed Member Electoral SystemsThe Effect of Mixed Member Systems on Democratic IdealsCase Study: Germany's Experiences with a Mixed SystemTHE PERSONAL VOTE Attributes of the Personal VoteThe Effect of the Personal Vote on Democratic IdealsCase Study: Profound Proportionalism in BrazilELECTORAL SYSTEMS IN PERSPECTIVE CHAPTER FOUR: LINKAGE INSTITUTIONS AND REPRESENTATIVES IntroductionPOLITICAL PARTIES Roles of Political Parties in DemocraciesCase Study: Candidate Selection in the UKParty SystemsClassifications of Party SystemsEffective Number of Political PartiesForces that Shape Party SystemsCommon Parties and IdeologiesThe Effect the Party System on Democratic IdealsFair RepresentationFunctional State: Efficiency and EffectivenessMeaningful ElectionsCase Study: Party System in GermanyINTEREST GROUPS Attributes of Interest Groups in DemocraciesLobbyingFormation of Interest GroupsInterest Group SystemsPluralismNeocorporatismEffect of Interest Group Systems on Democratic IdealsFair RepresentationAccountabilityCase Study: Quasi-Neocorporatist System of JapanREPRESENTATIVES Attributes of RepresentativesThe Effect of Legislative Diversity on Democratic IdealsMeaningful ElectionsFair RepresentationCase Study: Ethnic Group Representation in South AfricaLINKAGE INSTITUTIONS AND REPRESENTATIVES IN PERSPECTIVE CHAPTER FIVE: PRESIDENTIAL AND PARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENTS IntroductionPARLIAMENTARY GOVERNMENT Defining Parliamentary GovernmentAttributes of Parliamentary SystemsSelection of Prime Minister through the AssemblyCentralization of Power in the CabinetCentral Role Played by Political PartiesCabinet Responsibility to the AssemblyGovernment's Discretion over ElectionsParty Systems and Parliamentary GovernmentPRESIDENTIAL GOVERNMENT Defining Presidential GovernmentAttributes of Presidential SystemsSeparate Election of the PresidentDiffusion of Power in the GovernmentWeak Political PartiesCabinet Responsibility to the PresidentFixed Term ElectionsThe Effect of Regime Type on Democratic IdealsFunctional State: Efficiency and EffectivenessBalance of Interests: Majority Rule and Minority RightsFair RepresentationMeaningful ElectionsAccountabilityCase Studies: UK and US Responses to the Economic CrisisSEMI-PRESIDENTIAL SYSTEMS Defining Semi-Presidential GovernmentThe Uncertain Effects of Semi-Presidentialism on Democratic IdealsFunctional State: Efficiency and EffectivenessFair RepresentationThe Effect of Regime Type on StabilityREGIME TYPE IN PERSPECTIVE CHAPTER SIX: THE LEGISLATURE IN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT IntroductionTHE ROLE OF LEGISLATURES IN POLICYMAKING Attributes Of Legislatures in Parliamentary SystemsFactors that Strengthen ParliamentsThe Importance of Strong Committee SystemsLegislative Control of the AgendaCase Study: Germany's Working AssemblyAttributes of Legislatures in Presidential SystemsResources that Alter the Distribution of PowerLegislative Powers Granted to the PresidentThe Impact of the Party System on Presidential PowerThe Impact of Legislative OrganizationCase Study: Brazil's Centrifugal SystemThe Effect of Greater Legislative Autonomy on Democratic IdealsFunctional State: Efficiency and EffectivenessBalance of Interests: Majority Rule and Minority RightsFair RepresentationAccountabilityTHE ROLE OF LEGISLATURES IN OVERSEEING THE EXECUTIVE Attributes of Different Oversight StructuresFactors that Affect Oversight Capacity and EffectivenessCase Studies: Oversight in the US and JapanUNICAMERAL VERSUS BICAMERAL LEGISLATURES Attributes of Bicameral SystemsDiffering Perspectives on the Significance of BicameralismThe Effect of Two Chambers on Democratic IdealsBalance of Interests: Majority Rule and Minority RightsFunctional State: Efficiency and EffectivenessLEGISLATURES IN PERSPECTIVE CHAPTER SEVEN: THE GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF POWER IntroductionDEFINING GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTIONS OF POWER UnitaryFederalConfederalAlternative Definitions and ConceptsATTRIBUTES OF FEDERAL SYSTEMS OF GOVERNMENT Bicameral LegislaturesRigid ConstitutionHigh Court with Judicial ReviewPresence of Intergovernmental InstitutionsVariations within Unitary and Federal SystemsCase Study: Decentralization but not Federalism in the UKThe Effect of the Geographic Distribution of Power on Democratic IdealsBalance of Interests: Majority Rule and Minority RightsBalance of Interests in Multiethnic SocietiesFair RepresentationFunctional State: Efficiency and EffectivenessAccountabilityCase Studies: Alternative Forms of Federalism in Brazil and South AfricaGEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF POWER IN PERSPECTIVE CHAPTER EIGHT: THE HIGH COURT IntroductionTHE ROLE OF HIGH COURTS IN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT Attributes of High CourtsJudicial IndependenceThe Effect of Judicial Independence on Democratic IdealsBalance of Interests: Majority Rule and Minority RightsAccountabilityCase Study: Low Judicial Independence in JapanJUDICIAL BEHAVIOR Legal and Attitudinal Models of Judicial BehaviorFactors that Shape Judicial BehaviorJUDICIAL REVIEW Strength of Judicial ReviewDifferences in Judicial Review ProceduresThe Effect of Judicial Review on Democratic IdealsBalance of Interests: Majority Rule and Minority RightsAccountabilityFunctional State: Efficiency and EffectivenessCase Study: Judicial Review in the United StatesDIVERSITY ON THE BENCH Race, Ethnicity and Gender of JusticesCausal Factors in Judicial UnderrepresentationThe Effect of Court Diversity on Democratic IdealsFair RepresentationFunctional State: Efficiency and EffectivenessHIGH COURTS IN PERSPECTIVE CHAPTER NINE: A VALUES CHOICE: THE BALANCE OF DEMOCRATIC IDEALS IntroductionTHE DIFFERENT INSTITUTIONS OF DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT BALANCE OF IDEALS: CASE BY CASE ANALYSIS United KingdomUnited StatesGermanyJapanBrazilSouth AfricaLEGITIMACY: A MEASURE OF DEMOCRATIC QUALITY Cultivation of Legitimacy through the Balance of Democratic IdealsAppendix
