|
 |
|
September 2004, Volume 39, Number 3, Pages 297-313
|
|
|
|
|
Table of contents Previous Article Next PDF
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Polyarchy & Defected Democracy Around the World: A Research Note† |
|
| Hans Keman1 |
|
1Department of Political Science, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1081, 1081 HV, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail: keman@wxs.nl
|
†This paper has been presented at Research Seminars at Witwatersrand University: 17 March 2003 and at Cape Town University: 20 March 2003. It is derived from the work I did while preparing Comparative democratic analysis, London: Sage (2002). I thank the participants and the editor of Acta Politica for their helpful comments. The manuscript has been assessed according to the regular referee system of Acta Politica.
|
|
|
| Abstract |
|
In this research note it is attempted to measure the extent to which polyarchic democracies vary cross-nationally. This analysis is performed in order to show that there is considerable variation across these polities in terms of performance. The differences found point to the existence of 'defected' democracies. These can be observed across the whole world. In the remainder of this research note, an institutional explanation is put forward and to the test. It appears that electoral features, the state format and the organization of the executive are important for distinguishing between 'good practices', on the one hand, and 'defective' developments, on the other.
Acta Politica (2004) 39, 297-313. doi:10.1057/palgrave.ap.5500064 |
|
| Keywords |
|
democracy; polyarchy; comparative politics; institutionalism |
|
|
Table of contents Previous Article Next PDF
|
|
|
|
