Political Science 137C

Democracy, Equality and Political Participation in the Developing World

Prof. Fish
Summer 2010
Questions for final exam

Three of the following questions will appear on the exam. You will be asked to select two
of them and answer each in the form of an essay that demonstrates your command of the
readings and the material presented in lecture and discussion sections. Present a clear
argument and spell out why you take the stand you do. Organize your answer clearly.

1. Democracy amidst scarcity poses an empirical puzzle. Many of the countries studied in
our course class lack what is often regarded as the main structural prerequisite for a stable
democracy: a high level of socioeconomic development. Clearly non-structural factors,
such as elite leadership and the context of political institutions, may have played a role in
the countries we have studied. How do such factors affect the process of a democratic
transition in developing democracies? Write an essay addressing this question using
examples from lectures, readings, and three country cases.

2. In countries with a history of coercive institutions (such as the armed forces and the
secret police) that played a prominent role under authoritarian rule, democratization may
be particularly problematic. Write an essay comparing two countries whose experience in
democratization has involved removing the agencies of coercion from power and keeping
them out of power. Why have some countries been more successful at this project than
others? Draw on information from lectures and readings.

3. Establishing and maintaining democracy in countries prone to ethnic conflict may

involve trade-offs between democratic principles and possible concessions to aggrieved
groups. Why? What are these trade-offs? Which institutions can be employed to manage
ethnic conflict while minimizing deleterious effects for democracy? Write an essay that
addresses these questions using examples from lectures, readings, and three country
cases.

4. Civil society can have many different functions. For example, in Korea, civic
organizations pushed back against authoritarianism, while in India, NGOs deliver
important basic services that the state cannot provide. Write an essay comparing the role
of civil society in two countries. What conclusions can you reach from this comparison
about the way that civil society may support democratic deepening?

5. Authoritarian regimes often collapse under the weight of a failing economic model.
Governments in new democracies often inherit an economic mess. For countries
undergoing democratic transitions from closed regimes, how might economic
liberalization influence the success of democratization? Write an essay on this question
that draws on material from lectures and readings and that references specific cases.