Rise of Democracy | Structural Perspective |

“Democracy is all about the quality of the substance of political, social and economic life”. This is a substantive or qualitative definition of democracy. This quality includes human welfare, individual and social freedom, security, equality, social and economic equality, public deliberation, and peaceful conflict resolution.

Another definition which is known as “procedural definition” includes four points. This includes

i. The multiparty system with political parties competing with each other.

ii. Free and non-corrupt voting procedure.

iii. Universal and equal suffrage.

These are some minimum or core requirements of democracy.

There is also a practical or operational definition of democracy. This includes:

i. Freedom to form or join an organization

ii. Freedom of expression

iii. The right to vote

iv. Eligibility of public office

v. Right of political leaders to compete for support and votes

vi. Alternative source of information

vii. Free and fair election

viii. Institutions for making government policies depend on votes.

The explanation is given in the video.

The origin of Structuralism is from Karl Marx. He identified “Capitalism” as the broad structure in the world economy. In a capitalist society, people do not own what they produce, because they have no means of production. He gave the “labor theory of value” and the concept of “surplus value”. Marx predicted that capitalism would soon collapse due to its inherent contradictions. The French Revolution is one example of structural change. Marx argued that Colonialism is an extreme form of capitalism. The “Dependency Theory” and “World System Theory” are best to explain the working and nature of the Capitalist economy. All this when we combine makes such a structure, in which the poor are bound to be poor. The elite class always took advantage and benefits from this class difference and rule.

By “Historical Structuralism” Marx means the structure that prevailed during the Feudal society. Marx believed that societies no just consist of individuals but of individuals who occupy certain economically determined categories. For Marx this category is important and the relation between them. During feudal society, a peasant died peasant and a feudal died feudally. There was a little change for the poor or peasants to change their fundamental positions.

Structuralists believe that the structure of capitalism does two things:

1. It strengthens the working class and other subordinate class

2. Weaken landlords

It's not capitalism but the contradiction of capitalism that brings democratic change. Capitalism empowers the ordinary class and gives them the opportunity to organize and form unions. Once the working class form unions and political parties, they start to make more and more demands from political elites. If the demands and protests are strong, then the elite will open the way of political change and participation. If the demands are weak then the protesters will be crashed. In this way, the working class brings about democracy.

To watch more videos you can click on the following links:

Why poor countries are poor | Rational Choice Perspective |

Why poor countries are poor | Cultural Perspective |

Why poor countries are poor | Structural Perspective |

What is Poverty

Treaty of Westphalia

Realism in International Relations

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