Democracy and Its Model

Baikunth Gupta
2015-3034

Democracy:-
The origin of the word democracy was in Ancient Greece. The Terminology was derived from Greek Word Kratos which means power or rule and from “demos” means people, which is collectively known as rule by the people.

There are various models of democracy:

1. Classical Democracy

The classical democracy was direct democracy and Athens was the habitat of such a democracy. Athens was most prominent and powerful. Direct democracy in Athens developed in between 800-500 BCE. The Athenians were really proud of the type of direct democracy that worked in their city-state.

The basis of classical democracy was equality in respect of rights and privileges.

2. Protective Democracy

The protective democracy highlights a very distinctive viewpoint. According to Andrew Heywood “democracy was seen less as a mechanism through which public could participate in political life , and more as a device through which citizens could protect themselves from the encroachments of government, hence protective democracy[1]”.

Here democracy has been seen as the methods of the transfer of people which they can use to shield their rights and freedoms.
When does Democracy become Protective?
If the state administration and structure are re-arranged and re-modelled properly and successfully, it is believed democracy will ultimately become protective in nature.

3. Development Democracy
According to Jean-Jacques Rousseau, ‘No citizen shall be rich enough to buy another and none as poor to be forced to sell him/herself’. Essentially, Rousseau needs the Economic Equality among the citizens.

4. People Democracy

It’s term which is derived from the orthodox communist regime.

Karl Marx trusted the push out of capitalism would prompt the thriving of genuine democracy. He predicted that class antagonisms would be dissolved and the capitalist state would ‘wither away’. There would only be one class.

5. Liberal Democracy

Liberal Democracy is accepted as the worldwide practices of politics. Its key constructs are:

·         Indirect or representative form of democracy in which political office is gained by success in regular elections

·         It is based on competition and electoral choice.

·         There is a clear distinction between the state and civil society.

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[1] Heywood, Andrew (2007),Politics, P: 95-96

The Odd/Even Policy: Odds of the Policy that evened Out Pollution in Many Cities

In the beginning of 2016, Delhi opted to the Odd Even formula as a final resort to fight pollution in the capital of the nation. All the public transport in the city had already been converted to CNG fueling back in 2005. The first phase of the Odd/Even policy was from 1^st January to 15^th January. Delhi is not the first city to implement this, many other cities in the past namely Mexico City back in 1989, Bogota (Capital of Columbia) and recently in Beijing, China ahead of 2008 Olympics. 

 

While some cities saw genuine reduction in pollution levels, the policy has failed in many other cities, as citizens found a way to circumvent the rule by purchasing two cars with number plates ending with odd and even numbers - there by achieving the opposite.

 

Paris:

In 2014, this rule was applied as an experiment in March. Similar thing was done in 1997, both the times, the rule was then removed as the officials were able to meet the required the goals just  y implementing it for a day.

 

Mexico City:

In Mexico City the odd-even rationing policy a.k.a Hoy No Circula ('today it doesn't circulate') was introduced as early as 1989. Cars were banned for one day per week depending on the last number on their number plate. On Mondays five and six were banned, on Tuesdays seven and eight, etc. Even though initially there was a genuine reduction in pollution levels (a drop of 11%), people started circumventing the rule by buying two cars with odd and even numbers. Thus the policy failed in the city as finally it led to an increase in air pollution (rise of 13%).

 

Bogotá:

In Bogota, capital of Columbia, the policy was named Pico y Placa ('peak and plate'). It banned cars during the peak hours for two days per week. In order to make it harder for citizens to break the rule by buying two cars, the government kept on switching the combination of days and numbers every year.

 

New Delhi:

After the implementation of the scheme, many experts also said that the scheme had, in fact, worked. They opined that less congestion in Delhi owing to the scheme was shielding people from "direct exposure" to pollutants, especially in and around areas of high car density such as traffic junctions.

Experts had also unanimously endorsed that a reduction in the volume of cars was simultaneously bringing down levels of gaseous pollutants like oxides of nitrogen, sulphur dioxide and black carbon, which is a mixture of road dust and vehicle fumes.

 

 

The Delhi government had also told the Delhi High Court that the scheme had resulted in Delhi's Lowest Pollution Peak compared to the previous high-smog episodes this winter. The Environment Pollution Control Authority (EPCA), appointed by the Supreme Court, had confirmed the Delhi government's claim, according to PTI.

 

It is clearly observable that all these cities had implemented this scheme in its own pattern, in certain cities, it succeeded, in others it resulted in a contradictory rise in air pollution. The first phase was successful in Delhi and currently, the second phase is on the run. But, this is not a permanent solution to the problem, people will start buying more cars and this will backfire and ruin all the efforts of the government and the citizens.

 

 

 

 

Useful Journals on Comparative Politics

Journals on Comparative Politics

Studies in Indian Politics - http://inp.sagepub.com/

Journal of Legislative Studies - http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/fjls20/current

Perspectives on Politics - http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=PPS

Commonwealth & Comparative Politics http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/fccp20/current

Comparative Politics - http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/cuny/cp

Comparative Political Studies - http://cps.sagepub.com/

World Politics - http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=WPO

Indian Journal of Political Science - http://www.ijps.net.in/ijps_publication.php

Feedback on Research Paper Ideas

Dear Students,

Please find the feedback on the research paper ideas which have been submitted so far below. You should meet the TA to discuss your paper.

You can also discuss the paper with me on Tuesday afternoon.

Under each item,
the theme suggested by the student is mentioned,
then the resources they intend to consult, followed by

my comment. 

1. Policy-making processes   

Chapter - 4 : Constituitions, Policy making and Legislating; Regime type and change    POLITICAL THEORY - BHARGAVA   

What is it about regime type and change that you are interested in? How will the work by Bhargava help you?

2. Participation and representation   

"Dreze, Jean, and Amartya Kumar Sen. India: Development and participation. Oxford University Press, USA, 2002.

Krishna, Anirudh. ""Enhancing Political Participation in Democracies What is the Role of Social Capital?."" Comparative Political Studies 35.4 (2002): 437-460.

 Cornwall, Andrea, and Vera Schatten Coelho. Spaces for change?: the politics of citizen participation in new democratic arenas. Vol. 4. Zed Books, 2007.

 Kohli, Atul, ed. India's democracy: An analysis of changing state-society relations. Princeton University Press, 2014.

 Mueller, Ulrike. ""Lost in Representation? Feminist identity Economics and Women's Agency in India's Local Governments."" Feminist Economics 22.1 (2016): 158-182.

What about participation and representation are you interested in?

3. Political economy   

" theories of comparative politica by ronald h. chilcote

political economy: a comparative approach "   

Is there a specific question?

4. Political development   

"https://www.dropbox.com/s/2xac8fcoedfxn8h/Week%2012%20-%20Why%20Has%20Africa%20Grown%20Slowly.pdf?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/plo31n3exdqpuz2/Week%2012%20-%20Political%20Regimes%20and%20Economic%20Growth.pdf?dl=0

journals

CHINESE MODEL OF POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT: COMPARATIVE PERSPECTIVE

REGIONALISM AND POLITICAL DEVELOPMENT"   

Is there a specific question you have in mind about political development?

5. Political development   

JSTOR , a critique of current studies on political development and modernization author(s) CHONG DO HAH JEANNE SCHNEIDER published by the new school.    

Is there a specific question?

6. Regime type and change   

jstor  

Not clear at all what you are interested in

7. Participation and representation   

Newspaper   

Not clear at all what you are interested in

8. Policy-making processes   

Newspapers  

Not clear at all what you are interested in

9. Participation and representation   

wars guns and votes democracy in dangerous places by Paul Collier   

What is the specific question?

10. Political development, Regime type and change, Policy-making processes   

Iranian Nuclear Crisis by Syed Houssain Mousavian, Mossad by Michael Bar Zohar, Saddam The Secret Life by Con Coughlin and Among the Ruins : Syria Past and Present by Christian Sahner   

This reads like an IR paper.

11. Policy-making processes   

"How effective is the media as an institution in a democracy?

http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/media-and-politics

http://www.ifes.org/news/evolving-role-media-elections"   

Good.

12. Political economy    "·

Green Growth, Energy Transformations, and the Climate Debate: Domestic and International Issues. While the Climate problem is ‘global’, the solutions will lie in major part in the transition of domestic energy systems from high carbon low efficiency to high efficiency low carbon. That transformation will be costly in the short run and does not produce automatic or evident economic gain. Why do some countries pursue strategies to transform energy systems while others do not? Can Green Sustain Growth?

http://www.oecd.org/greengrowth/"   

Interesting topic.

13. Political development, Regime type and change   

"http://thediplomat.com/2016/01/leadership-change-in-laos-a-shift-away-from-china/

http://www.voanews.com/content/laos-undergoes-communist-party-leadership-change/3160492.html

Leadership Change in Communist States by Raymond Taras"   

What is the specific question?

14. Regime type and change    

World since 1945, NY Times articles    

What is the specific question?

15. Political economy   

Less developed and Newly - industrialised countries and Political economy of Arab gulf states by Kristian Coates Ulrichsen.   

What is the specific question?

16. Participation and representation  

 "Women in politics: A case study of Iran

The situation of women in politics "  

Good.

17. Political development, Participation and representation   

The idea of Pakistan, Policy modernisation of military , Security in South Asia- Cohen   

What is the specific question?