This paper applies and discusses the merits and demerits of two different measures of democracy, the Freedom House Index and Przeworski’s regime classification, that is, the updated version by Cheibub et al. (2010), with regard to Mexico between 1972 and 2010.
First, I explain the nature and functionality of the two measures, and then I look at the development of democracy in Mexico and its evaluation by Przeworski and Freedom House, pointing out similarities and differences and their causes. Finally I conclude which of the two measures seems to be more appropriate for the specific case of Mexico and why.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Freedom House vs. Przeworski
3. Democracy in Mexico
4. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Core Themes
This paper aims to critically evaluate and compare two prominent methodologies for measuring democracy—the Freedom House Index and the regime classification system developed by Przeworski (updated by Cheibub et al.)—by applying them to the specific political trajectory of Mexico from 1972 to 2010 to determine their relative efficacy and descriptive power.
- Comparative analysis of democracy measurement frameworks.
- Political evolution of Mexico under the PRI regime and subsequent transition.
- Methodological differences between dichotomous and continuous scoring systems.
- Impact of violence and organized crime on the assessment of democratic quality.
- The role of government alternation and electoral integrity in democratic classification.
Excerpt from the Book
Democracy in Mexico
Mexico became independent from Spain in 1810 and a republic in 1822. In 1917 a new constitution was adapted, declaring Mexico a federal republic with an elected president and legislature, like it is today. However, since 1929 the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) has ruled the country in an authoritarian manner by “co-optation, patronage, corruption and repression” (Freedom House, 2002) and there has been little transparency about the government’s business (Freedom House, 2002).
Hence, for the time between 1972 and 1999 Przeworski classified Mexico as a dictatorship, with the side note that the sole reason for this was that there had been no alternation in government under the same electoral rules during that time (Przeworski et al., 2010), since election rules were changed prior to the first alternation (Cheibub, Gandhi, & Vreeland, 2009). Freedom House did not classify Mexico as an electoral democracy either and rated it as partly free, with the average score fluctuating between 3.5 and 4, during this period (Freedom House, 2011b; Freedom House, 2011c).
First improvements of the situation started to appear in 1996, when an agreement between the major political parties implemented electoral reforms that included the abolition of government control over the Federal Electoral Institute (Cheibub et al., 2009). Consequently, Freedom House raised Mexico’s political rights score from 4 to 3 for 1997, when different elections were held (Freedom House, 2002; Freedom House, 2011c).
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: This chapter outlines the research objective to compare the Freedom House Index and Przeworski’s regime classification regarding the political landscape of Mexico between 1972 and 2010.
Freedom House vs. Przeworski: This chapter details the methodological frameworks of the two chosen measures, explaining their respective criteria for defining freedom and democracy.
Democracy in Mexico: This chapter provides an empirical application of both measures to Mexico's political history, tracing the transition from the PRI era to the modern democratic state.
Conclusion: This chapter summarizes findings, suggesting that while Przeworski provides more objective classification, Freedom House offers deeper contextual insight into democratic quality.
Keywords
Mexico, Democracy, Dictatorship, Freedom House, Przeworski, Cheibub, Political Rights, Civil Liberties, Electoral Democracy, Transition, Institutional Revolutionary Party, Political Alternation, Governance, Democratic Measurement, Methodology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on evaluating and contrasting two specific methodologies used in political science to measure democracy: the Freedom House Index and the regime classification system by Przeworski (updated by Cheibub et al.).
What are the central thematic areas addressed?
The study covers democratic transition, the definition of political rights and civil liberties, the influence of electoral rules, and the challenges of measuring democratic status in countries facing high levels of violence and corruption.
What is the core research objective?
The objective is to determine which of the two measurement methods is more appropriate and reliable for assessing the specific case of Mexico from 1972 to 2010.
What scientific methods are utilized?
The research uses a comparative policy analysis approach, applying the distinct scoring criteria of two established democratic indices to historical data from Mexico.
What topics are covered in the main body of the work?
The main body treats the functional differences between dichotomous and continuous variables, the historical timeline of Mexican politics from the PRI era to the 2000 transition, and the impact of the drug-related violence on democratic metrics.
Which keywords best characterize this study?
Key terms include Mexico, Democracy, Freedom House, Przeworski, Political Rights, Electoral Democracy, and Regime Classification.
Why did Przeworski classify Mexico as a dictatorship for such a long period?
Przeworski classified Mexico as a dictatorship until 2000 primarily because the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) prevented the "alternation in government" required by his strict criteria.
How does Freedom House distinguish between 'free' and 'partly free' nations?
Freedom House utilizes a continuous scale for political rights and civil liberties; based on an average score of these categories, countries are categorized into 'free', 'partly free', or 'not free'.
What unique insight does the paper provide regarding Mexico's democratic status?
The paper highlights that while both models agree on the transition to democracy in 2000, Freedom House is more sensitive to subsequent fluctuations in citizen rights caused by organized crime violence.
- Citar trabajo
- Inga Nehlsen (Autor), 2011, Measuring Democracy in Mexico. Merits and Demerits of the Freedom House Index and Przeworski’s Regime Classification, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/305742
