POL112H5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Gross Domestic Product, Liberal Democracy, Autocracy
Document Summary
Modernization theory: powerful correlation between democracy and economic development, gdp (gross domestic product) / per capita. The more economically developed the more wealthy the more democratic a country becomes: high levels of education and personal income and a middle class are necessary to sustain democracy. Middle class: necessary because they have the leisure to vote, and they are educated enough to vote but not too powerful to influence government altogether with their status. Government can tax middle class if government is poor then government cannot tax the middle class. Middle class wants to know how they are spending tax money: supported the pessimistic view that democracy would not spread. Substantial voting franchise is allowed to participate. Checks on the powers of elected officials. Rule of law = all citizens are equal before the law, no one is above the law, and the laws are known in advance and administered by an impartial judiciary.
