Defekte Demokratie

The Pacific challenge

“…One theoretical concept, which allows the systematic division of such new regimes from liberal democracies, a typological understanding of their internal differences, the revelation of the causes for their existence and their demise, as well as a causal explanation of the dynamics specific to their development, is the concept of "defective democracy" (MERKEL/CROISSANT 2000; MERKEL et al 2003). It itself makes use of a multidimensional conception of democracy, complementing DAHL's concept of polyarchy by adding the two dimensions of effective power to govern and the rule of law.…”

“…These considerations may be summarized by a typology of defective democracies. Depending upon the dimension of democracy, we strike upon four subtypes of defective democracy: Merkel et al (2003).…”

“…Given the sheer diversity of the defects of democracy, there is probably no one primary cause which leads to illiberal, enclave, or delegative democracies, but rather a set of causes. For lack of space and setting aside the influence of international factors as an explanatory variable, we focus on four categories of potential causes accounting for defects of democracy: 1) socio-economic variables, (2) cultural and historical factors, (3) stateness and nation building, and (4) political institutions (CROISSANT 2002;MERKEL et al 2003). …”

A Defective Democracy: The Case of the United States

“…It may be maintained that all democracies have some defects, some more than others, but some of them are defective democracies. This does not mean that the goal is a perfect or an ideal democracy [1]. It is rather the presence or the absence of certain criteria that are the determining factors [2].…”

Civil Society: An Inevitable Partner in the Development of Local Communities in Young Democracies

“…Civil society organizations are hereby understood as fora of interpersonal trust expression, playing an important role in both democratic transition and consolidation in a society that has been transforming its political system from authoritarian into democratic. The theoretical concept in this article applies Wolfgang Merkel's four dimensions of the democratic consolidation: constitutional, representative and behavioural consolidation, and finally, the consolidation of civic culture and civil society (Merkel and Puhle 1999;Merkel et al 2003). In explaining conditions pertinent to a successful democratic consolidation, the consolidation of civic culture and civil society helps to understand what the role of subjective values and attitudes of citizens in the stability of democratic regimes is.…”