The State of Democracy: Democracy Assessments in Eight Nations Around the World

1. Auflage 2002
ISBN: 978-90-411-1931-5
Verlag: Wolters Kluwer

Buch, Englisch, 104 Seiten, PB, Format (B × H): 198 mm x 300 mm, Gewicht: 395 g

The State of Democracy: Democracy Assessments in Eight Nations Around the World is the robust and sensitive study of democratisation in eight very different countries at varying stages of democratisation--Bangladesh, El Salvador, Italy, Kenya, Malawi, New Zealand, Peru and South Korea.

This unique comparative study first presents the findings of in-country teams of experts in the eight countries on the state of democracy in their own country; and concludes with an analysis and synthesis of their findings to suggest an overall general trajectory of the democratisation process. In doing so, the conclusions examine a variety of issues of significance to democracy, including for example the creation of electoral space, the formation of political parties, the political inclusion of minorities, mechanisms of accountability, and the reduction of corruption.

The strength of this volume lies in the common use by the eight teams of the same democracy assessment framework developed under the auspices of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (International IDEA), Stockholm. This innovative assessment framework covers every aspect of democracy: citizen rights and the rule of law, representative and accountable government, civil society and popular participation, and the international dimensions of democracy.

The expert teams used the same methodology to answer the same questions: How democratic are we? In what respects have we made progress? What are the major defects of our governing arrangements from a democratic point of view? How do we stand in comparison with our past and with other comparator countries?

Zielgruppe

Research

Autoren/Hrsg.

Beetham

Beetham, David

Kearton

Kearton, Iain

Vittal

Vittal, Nalini

Bracking, Sarah

Weir, Stuart

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Kultur Menschenrechte, Bürgerrechte
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Internationale Beziehungen
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Systeme Demokratie
• Rechtswissenschaften Internationales Recht und Europarecht Internationales Recht Internationale Menschen- und Minderheitenrechte, Kinderrechte

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Contributors.
About the editors.
About International IDEA.
Acknowledgements.
Abbreviations.
Foreword.
Part 1: Introduction.
Why conduct democracy assessments?
What is distinct about the IDEA framework and method.
Part 2: The framework of assessment questions.
Citizenship, law and rights.
Representative and accountable government.
Civil society and popular participation.
Democracy beyond the state.
Part 3: Democracy assessment from eight nations (summaries).
Bangladesh.
El Salvador.
Italy.
Kenya.
Malawi.
New Zealand.
Peru.
South Korea.
Part 4: Key democratic indicators compared. (topics chosen from sections in the IDEA Handbook)
Violent conflict.
The position of minorities.
Justice and the judiciary.
Legal aid.
Prison and the death penalty.
Civil and political rights.
Government spending.
Basic service and health-care.
Electoral participation and proportionality.
Party financing.
Party choice.
Capacity govern.
Control of the military.
Corruption.
Press freedom.
Women in public and political life.
Political consultation.
Decentralisation.
Asylum-seekers and refugees.
Part 5: Conclusions about the democratisation process.
Tables.
Part 1: 1.1. Democratic principles and mediating values.
1.2. The assessment framework: overview.
Part 3: 3.1. Bangladesh: Basic socio-economic indicators.
3.2. El Salvador: Electoral participation, 1988-2000.
3.3. Kenya: Indicators of inequality (with selected comparator countries).
3.4. Kenya: Monetary indicators, 1990s.
3.5. Malawi: Basic socio-economic indicators.
3.6. New Zealand: Key indicators by ethnic group, 1996-2000.
3.7. New Zealand: Women in government - New Zealand and selected OECD countries, 1996.