The central question of this paper is almost as old as the mere concept of consociationalism: to what extent can consociational democracy serve as the appropriate democratic form to divided and multiethnic societies? Soon after Arend Lijphart and Gerhard Lehmbruch had depicted consociational democracy as a viable alternative to majoritarian forms of democracy, a fierce debate about its wider applicability took root. Lijphart and Lehmbruch had presented the Netherlands, Belgium, Austria and Switzerland as cases of consociational democracies – but would the concept work in countries that are divided more deeply? For a good reason, the issue regained relevance and interest of scholars during the 1990s: Intra-state wars now took their tolls on an unprecedented scale - many of which had an ethnic dimension. It requires no statistical analysis to acknowledge ethnic divisions as one of the most serious sources of today’s violent conflicts. In this context, it has been asked whether consociational democracy is a suitable and appropriate model to accommodate the diverse interests and cultures of groups in a multiethnic society. Is it a sustainable model able to prevent conflicts from turning violent? Should it be part of peacebuilding efforts in a post-conflict society? If applied, how should a consociational design look like?
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- 1. Introduction
- 1.1 The Concept of Consociational Democracy
- 1.1.1 Theoretical Background
- 1.2 Executive Power-Sharing
- 1.3 Segmental Autonomy
- 1.4 Proportional Representation
- 1.5 Mutual Veto Rights
- 1.6 Establishment of Consociational Democracies
- 2. Collected Critiques
- 2.1 Definition Deficiencies
- 2.2 Flawed Analysis? The Role of the Case Studies
- 2.3 Insufficiently Democratic?
- 2.4 Explanatory Weakness and Non-Applicability
- 2.5 The Favourable Factors for Consociational Democracy
- 3. The Favourable Factors for Consociational Democracy
- 3.1 Structure-oriented Factors
- 3.2 Actor-oriented Factors
- 3.3 The Status of the Factors
- 3.4 Conclusion
- 4. Making It Work
- 4.1 Executive: Parliamentary versus Presidential Systems
- 4.2 Over-representation versus Proportional Representation
- 4.3 The Modality of Veto Rights
- 4.4 The Form of Autonomy
- 4.5 Arbitration
- 4.6 Working towards Favourable Factors
- 5. Conclusion
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This paper examines the applicability of consociational democracy as a viable model for multiethnic societies. It reviews existing literature to analyze the concept's strengths and weaknesses, addressing critiques and exploring the conditions under which consociational democracy can flourish. The paper also investigates crucial aspects for designing a sustainable consociational system.
- The definition and characteristics of consociational democracy.
- Criticisms and limitations of the consociational democracy model.
- Factors conducive to the development of consociational democracy (both structural and actor-oriented).
- Key elements for establishing a successful consociational arrangement.
- The applicability of consociational democracy in diverse multiethnic contexts.
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
1. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage by posing the central question of the paper: To what extent can consociational democracy serve as an appropriate democratic model for divided and multiethnic societies? It highlights the historical debate surrounding consociationalism, mentioning key figures like Lijphart and Lehmbruch and referencing the rise of intra-state conflicts with ethnic dimensions in the 1990s. The chapter establishes the paper's reliance on existing literature for analysis and outlines the structure of the subsequent chapters, which will explore the concept of consociational democracy, its critiques, favorable factors, and practical considerations for its implementation.
1.1 The Concept of Consociational Democracy: This chapter delves into Arend Lijphart's definition of consociational democracy, outlining its four key characteristics: executive power-sharing, segmental autonomy, proportional representation, and mutual veto rights. It provides the historical and theoretical context for the concept, discussing the prevailing views of the 1960s on political stability and social homogeneity. The chapter contrasts the "Anglo-American" model with the "Continental European" model, highlighting Lijphart's focus on a third category of democracies exemplified by the Netherlands, Scandinavia, and the Low Countries. It concludes by referencing Lijphart and Lehmbruch's work challenging the linkage between political stability and social homogeneity, emphasizing elite cooperation rather than competition as a key element.
Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
Consociational democracy, multiethnic societies, power-sharing, segmental autonomy, proportional representation, mutual veto rights, political stability, conflict prevention, peacebuilding, Lijphart, Lehmbruch, case studies, critique, favorable factors, structural factors, actor-oriented factors, democratic governance.
Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview of Consociational Democracy
What is the main topic of this document?
This document provides a comprehensive overview of consociational democracy, a political system designed for multi-ethnic societies. It examines the concept's definition, critiques, favorable factors for its success, and practical considerations for implementation.
What are the key characteristics of consociational democracy?
According to Arend Lijphart, the key characteristics are: executive power-sharing, segmental autonomy, proportional representation, and mutual veto rights. The document explores each of these in detail.
What are the objectives and key themes explored in this document?
The document aims to analyze the applicability of consociational democracy as a viable model for multiethnic societies. Key themes include examining the concept's strengths and weaknesses, addressing existing critiques, exploring conditions for success, and investigating crucial aspects for designing a sustainable consociational system.
What are some of the criticisms leveled against consociational democracy?
The document addresses various critiques, including deficiencies in its definition, flawed analysis in case studies, concerns about insufficiently democratic aspects, weaknesses in its explanatory power and applicability, and a lack of clarity on the factors that contribute to its success.
What factors contribute to the success of consociational democracy?
The document identifies both structure-oriented and actor-oriented factors contributing to the success of consociational democracy. It explores these factors and their role in establishing a stable and functional system.
What practical considerations are discussed for establishing a successful consociational arrangement?
The document examines several practical considerations, including the choice between parliamentary and presidential systems, the use of over-representation versus proportional representation, the modality of veto rights, the form of autonomy, arbitration mechanisms, and strategies for fostering favorable factors.
What is the structure of the document?
The document is structured into chapters covering an introduction, the concept of consociational democracy, collected critiques, favorable factors, practical considerations for implementation ("Making it Work"), and a conclusion. A detailed table of contents is provided.
Who are some of the key figures mentioned in relation to consociational democracy?
The document prominently features the work of Arend Lijphart and Gerhard Lehmbruch, key figures in the development and analysis of consociational democracy.
What are the key takeaways from the chapter summaries?
The chapter summaries offer a concise overview of each chapter’s content, providing context and highlighting the central arguments and findings of each section.
What are the keywords associated with this document?
Keywords include: Consociational democracy, multiethnic societies, power-sharing, segmental autonomy, proportional representation, mutual veto rights, political stability, conflict prevention, peacebuilding, Lijphart, Lehmbruch, case studies, critique, favorable factors, structural factors, actor-oriented factors, democratic governance.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Patrick Bolte (Autor:in), 2004, Consociational Democracy in Multiethnic Societies, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/29749
