Question

Political Science

38. The Pre Condition theory of democratic transition claims that the following is the most important thing to transition?

•An independent civil society.

•A strong independent Bourgeoise or middle class

•An insurgent democracy or democracy from below

•A top down government initiated democratic transtion

39. In the 1980s O’Donnell and Schmitter developed a second theory, called the contingency paradigm, according to the contingency theory, democratic transition can happen as a result of:

•An independent civil society

•No Bourgeoisie no democracy

•Insurgency led democratic transition

•A top down, government initiated democratic transition

40. Political Consolidologists are concerned that not all democracies that transitioned are real consolidated democracies. They tend to divide democracy into different types:

1) Procedural or technical democracy

2) Liberal Democracy

3) Social Democracy

Which of the above type of democracy was termed also a Potemkin village because it is an empty democracy that does not respect human rights and does not provide the basic necessity such as a strong opposition with an even chance of winning?

•Procedural or technical democracy

•Republic

•Liberal Democracy

•Social Democracy

Answer 1

Potemkin village refers to any kind of false structure built to deceive observers into believing that a situation is much better than it actually is. This term is popular in economic as well as political context.

Among Procedural or Technical democracy, Liberal Democracy and Social Democracy the term best suits to procedural democracy as it is just democracy of rituals. In such democracies there is no place for rule of law, dissent and even any place for opposition. Russia is best example of such procedural democracy that does not respect human rights and does not provide the basic necessity such as a strong opposition with an even chance of winning.