Unit 3: AP Comparative Government & Politics Faculty Lecture with Associate Professor Jennifer Horan

Summary

This lecture provides an insightful analysis of democratic political participation and the role of civil society, focusing on six key countries: China, Iran, Russia, Nigeria, Mexico, and the United Kingdom. It explores the spectrum of political participation, from voting to protesting, and examines how political culture and civil society shape democratic values. The lecture compares how these nations vary in their levels of citizen engagement, from authoritarian regimes with limited participation to transitioning democracies and fully democratic states. Ultimately, it highlights the crucial role of civil society in fostering democratic values and political change.

Takeaways

• 😀 Political participation occurs when citizens engage with their political systems, through activities like voting, protesting, contacting officials, and joining organizations.
• 😀 Participation can support government policies or attempt to change them, and its scope is influenced by whether a country is authoritarian or democratic.
• 😀 In authoritarian regimes like China, citizens are limited in their participation, while democratic systems allow broader engagement.
• 😀 Political culture refers to the collective attitudes and values of a society toward its political system, shaped by political socialization.
• 😀 Political socialization is the process by which citizens acquire beliefs, values, and attitudes about their political system.
• 😀 Sydney Verba defines democracy as the degree to which political power and influence are diffused across society, and political participation increases democracy when it influences government decisions.
• 😀 Different forms of participation, like voting or protesting, have varying levels of influence on government decisions.
• 😀 The V-Dem Participatory Democracy Index measures the level of democratic participation in countries, using indicators such as voting, protesting, and contacting officials.
• 😀 Civil society is defined as a network of voluntary, non-governmental organizations that mediate state power and enhance citizen influence on government.
• 😀 Civil society helps mediate state power by allowing citizens to organize and advocate for changes, such as influencing local government policies.
• 😀 Countries like the UK demonstrate strong civil society engagement, while countries like China and Iran show weak civil society participation, which affects their democratic development.

Q & A

What is political participation, and how can citizens engage with their political systems?

Political participation refers to when citizens engage with their political systems through various activities, such as voting, protesting, contacting government officials, or joining organizations. These activities can either support the government or attempt to influence changes in government policies and decisions.

How do regime types, such as authoritarian and democratic, impact citizens' ability to participate politically?

In authoritarian regimes like China, citizens have limited political participation and cannot campaign for office or influence government decisions freely. In contrast, democratic regimes allow more freedom for citizens to engage politically, enabling them to vote, protest, or participate in policy changes.

Why is political participation important for the survival of democracy?

Political participation is crucial because it ensures that citizens have a voice in government decisions. Without active engagement, there is a risk that authoritarianism could emerge, or an existing authoritarian regime could continue without being challenged by the citizenry.

What is political culture, and how does it relate to political participation?

Political culture is the collective orientation of a society towards its political system and the norms that guide political activity. It stems from political socialization, where individuals acquire beliefs and values about politics, shaping how they participate in the political system.

What did Sydney Verba mean by democracy being about the diffusion of power and influence?

Verba defined democracy as the extent to which power and influence over significant societal decisions are spread throughout society. Political participation strengthens democracy by allowing citizens to influence government decisions, though not all forms of participation have the same impact.

How does the Participatory Democracy Index measure democratic participation?

The Participatory Democracy Index, developed by the V-Dem project, measures democratic participation by assessing both electoral and non-electoral forms of participation, such as voting, protesting, and contacting government officials. It uses a scale from 0 to 1, with 0 indicating no democratic participation and 1 representing full democratic participation.

What role does civil society play in enhancing democratic participation?

Civil society refers to a range of voluntary groups, such as sports clubs or environmental organizations, that are independent of the state. These groups mediate state power by influencing government decisions and enhancing citizen power, providing a platform for political participation outside of government control.

Can you give an example of how civil society can mediate state power?

An example is a skateboarding club lobbying local government officials to build a skate park. The group contacts city officials, petitions citizens, and mobilizes other groups to support the initiative, ultimately influencing government decisions and constructing the park.

What is the relationship between civil society and tolerance in democratic societies?

In democratic societies, civil society encourages interactions among members of different groups, leading to a greater tolerance for diverse values. The overlapping memberships in various organizations help individuals develop respect for differing opinions, which supports political accommodation and democratic cooperation.

How do the six countries in the comparative politics course rank in terms of civil society participation?

According to the V-Dem project, China and Iran have the lowest levels of civil society participation, while the United Kingdom has the highest. Mexico and Nigeria fall in the middle, with Nigeria showing moderate civil society activity, while Russia has fluctuating levels due to increasing authoritarianism.