Democratization and Governance

This area studies how democracies emerge, consolidate, and erode, and how societies are governed — democratization, regimes, governance, and accountability.

Scope

It covers theories of democratization, regime transitions and consolidation, governance and state capacity, and civil society and social capital.

Core questions

• What conditions produce and sustain democracy?
• How do regimes transition and consolidate?
• Why do democracies erode or break down?
• How do governance and social capital shape political life?

Key concepts

• Polyarchy
• Modernization theory
• Democratic consolidation
• Waves of democratization
• Social capital
• Governance
• Democratic backsliding

Key theories

Polyarchy

Dahl conceptualized real-world democracy as 'polyarchy', defined by participation and contestation.

Social requisites of democracy

Lipset linked democracy to economic development and legitimacy (modernization theory).

Waves of democratization

Huntington analysed democratization in historical 'waves' and reverse waves.

Social capital and civic life

Putnam argued declining social capital weakens democratic governance.

History

From Lipset's modernization theory and Dahl's polyarchy through the 'third wave' transitions literature (Huntington, O'Donnell-Schmitter) and social-capital and governance research (Putnam), the field now centers on democratic consolidation, governance, and backsliding.

Debates

What drives democratization?

Whether democracy results from economic development (modernization) or from elite choices, institutions, and contingency.

Key figures

• Robert Dahl
• Seymour Martin Lipset
• Samuel Huntington
• Robert Putnam

Seminal works

• dahl-1971
• lipset-1959
• huntington-1991
• putnam-1995

Frequently asked questions

What is polyarchy?

Dahl's term for actually existing democracies, defined by broad participation and open political contestation.