13.2 Categorizing Contemporary Regimes

Modern governments come in various forms, from authoritarian regimes to representative democracies. Each type has distinct characteristics, shaping how power is exercised and citizens are governed. Understanding these differences is crucial for grasping global politics.

Legitimacy is key to a government's stability and effectiveness. It stems from performance, ideology, and adherence to procedures. Recent trends like democratization, globalization, and populism are reshaping political landscapes worldwide, influencing how governments operate and interact with citizens.

Types of Contemporary Regimes

Classification of governing regimes

• Authoritarian regimes are governed by a single leader or small group, have limited political pluralism, lack free and fair elections (China, Russia, Saudi Arabia)
• Representative democracies hold regular, free, and fair elections, have political pluralism and competition, protect civil liberties and political rights (United States, United Kingdom, Germany)
  • These systems often have a strong civil society, which includes voluntary associations, NGOs, and interest groups that operate independently of the government
• Hybrid regimes combine elements of both authoritarian and democratic systems, may have elections that are not fully free or fair, have limited political competition and civil liberties (Turkey, Venezuela, Hungary)

Types of authoritarian regimes

• Personalist dictatorships concentrate power in the hands of a single leader, prioritize loyalty to the leader (North Korea under Kim Jong-un, Uganda under Idi Amin)
• Single-party dictatorships are dominated by one political party that controls access to political power and resources (China under the Communist Party, Cuba under the Communist Party)
• Military dictatorships involve the armed forces exercising direct political control, often come to power through coups d'état (Myanmar under the military junta, Egypt under Abdel Fattah el-Sisi)
• Monarchies are ruled by a royal family with power passed through hereditary succession, can be absolute or constitutional (Saudi Arabia - absolute, United Kingdom - constitutional)

Characteristics of representative democracies

• Presidential systems have separate executive and legislative branches, the president is directly elected and serves as both head of state and head of government (United States, Brazil, Mexico)
• Parliamentary systems have an executive branch (prime minister and cabinet) accountable to the legislature, the prime minister is typically the leader of the majority party or coalition in parliament (United Kingdom, Germany, Japan)
• Semi-presidential systems combine elements of both presidential and parliamentary systems, have a directly elected president and a prime minister accountable to the legislature (France, Russia, Ukraine)
• Proportional representation allocates legislative seats based on the percentage of votes received by each party, encourages multi-party systems and coalition governments (Israel, Netherlands, Sweden)
• Majoritarian systems require candidates or parties to win a majority of votes to gain power, often result in two-party systems and single-party governments (United States, United Kingdom, Canada)

Principles of Democratic Governance

• Sovereignty: The supreme power or authority within a state, typically vested in the people in a democracy
• Rule of law: The principle that all individuals and institutions are subject to and accountable to law that is fairly applied and enforced
• Separation of powers: The division of government responsibilities into distinct branches to limit any one branch from exercising the core functions of another
• Checks and balances: A system in which each branch of government has some oversight authority over the other branches
• Political participation: The involvement of citizens in political processes, including voting, campaigning, and civic engagement

Legitimacy and Trends in Modern Political Systems

Legitimacy in government systems

• Legitimacy is the belief that a government has the right to rule and its actions are justified
• Sources of legitimacy include:
  1. Performance legitimacy based on a government's ability to provide goods and services
  2. Ideological legitimacy based on a government's adherence to a particular set of values or beliefs
  3. Procedural legitimacy based on a government's adherence to established rules and procedures
• Authoritarian regimes often rely on performance and ideological legitimacy, lack procedural legitimacy due to absence of free and fair elections, challenges to legitimacy can lead to instability and regime change
• Representative democracies primarily rely on procedural legitimacy through free and fair elections, performance and ideological legitimacy also play a role, lack of legitimacy can lead to public dissatisfaction and electoral turnover
• Political culture, which includes the attitudes, beliefs, and values that shape a society's political behavior, can significantly influence a regime's legitimacy

Trends in modern political systems

• Democratization involves the spread of democratic systems following the end of the Cold War, faces challenges such as the rise of populism and democratic backsliding, has historical roots in the Enlightenment and the American and French Revolutions
• Globalization leads to increased economic, political, and cultural interconnectedness, impacts national sovereignty and the role of international organizations, has historical roots in the post-World War II era and the creation of international institutions
• Populism involves anti-establishment movements that appeal to "the people" against "the elite", can challenge traditional political parties and institutions, has historical roots in the late 19th and early 20th centuries with resurgence in the 21st century
• Identity politics involves political mobilization based on shared social identities (race, ethnicity, gender, religion), can lead to increased representation but also polarization and conflict, has historical roots in the civil rights, feminist, and LGBTQ+ movements of the 20th century
• Technology and social media impact political communication, mobilization, and public opinion, present challenges related to disinformation, echo chambers, and foreign interference, have historical roots in the development of mass media and the internet revolution