Politics and Democracy in Microstates Democratization and Autocratization Studies Series
Auteur : Veenendaal Wouter
Why are small states statistically more likely to have a democratic political system? By addressing this question from a qualitative and comparative methodological angle, this book analyses the effects of a small population size on political competition and participation. By comparing the four microstates of San Marino (Europe), St. Kitts and Nevis (Caribbean), Seychelles (Africa), and Palau (Oceania), it provides fresh and stimulating insight, concluding that the political dynamics of microstates are not as democratic as commonly believed. Instead, it is found in all four cases that smallness results in personalistic politics, dominance of the political executive, patron-client relations between citizens and politicians, and the circumvention of formal political institutions. In addition, the book suggests that the study of formal institutions provides an incomplete image of microstate democracy and that informal characteristics of politics in microstates also need to be explored in order to better explain the influence of smallness on democracy.
This book will be of key interest to scholars and students of democracy, democratization, regional and decentralization studies and comparative politics.
Acknowledgements 1. Introduction 2. The Theoretical Debate on Size and Democracy 3. Theoretical Model and Research Design 4. The Republic of San Marino 5. The Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis 6. The Republic of Seychelles 7. The Republic of Palau 8. Conclusion Appendix Index
Wouter Veenendaal is Postdoctoral Researcher at the Royal Netherlands Institute of Southeast Asian and Caribbean Studies, the Netherlands.
Date de parution : 09-2014
15.6x23.4 cm
Date de parution : 06-2017
15.6x23.4 cm
Thème de Politics and Democracy in Microstates :
Mots-clés :
Public Administration; Multiple Role Relationships; Democracy; External Vote; Democratization; Political Parties; Microstates; Electoral Commission; Comparative; Small State Size; Decentralization; Persuasive Rationalization; Population; Multiple Role Relations; Ngelekel Belau; Eastern Caribbean; State Size; Small State Politics; Westminster Institutions; Particularistic Motivations; Substantive Political Issues; Vice Versa; Van Nieuwkerk; Case Study Literature; Captains Regent; MP Candidate; Pacific Microstates; European Microstates; Direct Democracy; James Mancham; Grands Blancs; Comparative Political Research