Defective democracy
As a defective democracy political systems are in comparative politics called, in which, although democratic elections to take place, but the terms of the normative foundations of liberal democracy ( participation rights, liberties, violence control, etc. ) have different defects. In most cases these are political systems that have emerged in the course of the third wave of democratization.
Emergence of the concept
The concept of " defective democracies " developed by political scientists Wolfgang Merkel, Hans -Jürgen Puhle and Aurel Croissant beginning of the 21st century. The goal was the one that previously refine common distinction between totalitarian, authoritarian and democratic systems in political science. In particular, the present in the transition countries of the former Eastern Bloc fit into any of the previous categories, since on the one hand, not all the standards of the rule of law and liberal democracy fulfilled, but on the other hand were no longer classified as totalitarian or authoritarian. Second, the empirical analysis and Vergleichbarbarkeit of government systems should be strengthened by defects in reference can be quantitatively evaluated on democratization. Is also allowed on the basis of such an analytical concept of democratization or Entdemokratisierungsprozesse individual states measure and indices (" Rankings " ) form.
Definition
The theory of defective democracy is based on the also developed by Wolfgang Merkel concept of " embedded democracy " on. This theoretical model comprehends well-developed, stable functioning democracies as systems of rule, which consist of a structure of five interlocking set of regimes: a) a democratic electoral regime, b ) the regime of political participation rights, c ) the regime of civil liberties, d) the institutional assurance of system of checks and e) the guarantee that the effective governance is the responsibility of democratically elected representatives. Deviation from this concept, are also shortens systems called democracy, in which, although the rule of access is secured through democratic elections, but a constitutional system of checks and secure fundamental rights are missing. In other cases, the actual monopoly of power does not lie with the elected representatives, but allows lobbyists to insert the army or a guerrilla in certain areas their veto. This allows numerous combinations of "functioning " and " defective " part dimensions of a system of rule describe. Consequently, the concept of defective democracy is a set of tools to existing real states to classify empirically.
After the much-quoted definition by Wolfgang Merkel, Hans -Jürgen Puhle, Aurel Croissant et al. are defective democracies " regimes, which are characterized by the presence of a largely functioning democratic electoral regime for regulating the dominion access, but by disturbances in the functional logic of one or more of the other partial regimes lose the complementary supports that in a functioning democracy to secure freedom, equality and control are essential. "
Merkel, Puhle, Croissant et al. distinguish the following types of defective democracies:
Criticism
The concept of defective democracy is controversial in political science.
- Some critics complain, the concept of democracy going too far stretched. Even countries with authoritarian tendencies could then be referred to as defective democratic. Furthermore, one can from a core concept ( "root concept" according to Sartori ) derive no subtypes, exactly the contrary to those set out core principles. If Merkel look at the free and fair election as a core principle of democracy, as a country was not free and fair election just not classified as a democracy, not even as " defective ".
- Others believe that the concept of democracy will be very concentrated. Because it hardly States would be in addition to the western countries with fully functioning democracies, would almost all democracies be classified as "defective" ( cf. Krennerich 2005).
- Further criticism relates to the methodology: