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Safeguarding Democracy: Powersharing and Democratic Survival

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  • GRAHAM, BENJAMIN A.T.
  • MILLER, MICHAEL K.
  • STRØM, KAARE W.

Abstract

Democracy is often fragile, especially in states recovering from civil conflict. To protect emerging democracies, many scholars and practitioners recommend political powersharing institutions, which aim to safeguard minority group interests. Yet there is little empirical research on whether powersharing promotes democratic survival, and some concern that it limits electoral accountability. To fill this gap, we differentiate between inclusive, dispersive, and constraining powersharing institutions and analyze their effects on democratic survival from 1975 to 2015 using a global dataset. We find sharp distinctions across types of powersharing and political context. Inclusive powersharing, such as ethnic quotas, promotes democratic survival only in post-conflict settings. In contrast, dispersive institutions such as federalism tend to destabilize post-conflict democracies. Only constraining powersharing consistently facilitates democratic survival regardless of recent conflict. Institution-builders and international organizations should therefore prioritize institutions that constrain leaders, including independent judiciaries, civilian control of the armed forces, and constitutional protections of individual and group rights.

Suggested Citation

  • Graham, Benjamin A.T. & Miller, Michael K. & Strøm, Kaare W., 2017. "Safeguarding Democracy: Powersharing and Democratic Survival," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 111(4), pages 686-704, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:cup:apsrev:v:111:y:2017:i:04:p:686-704_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Baulia, Susmita, 2024. "Is household shock a boon or bane to the utilisation of preventive healthcare for children? Evidence from Uganda," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 52(C).
    2. Lourdes ROJAS RUBIO, 2022. "Inequality, Corruption and Support for Democracy," THEMA Working Papers 2022-20, THEMA (THéorie Economique, Modélisation et Applications), Université de Cergy-Pontoise.
    3. Bonsall, Samuel B. & Gillette, Jacquelyn R. & Pundrich, Gabriel & So, Eric, 2024. "Conflicts of interest in subscriber-paid credit ratings," Journal of Accounting and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 77(1).
    4. Paniagua, Victoria & Vogler, Jan P., 2022. "Economic elites and the constitutional design of sharing political power," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 110926, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    5. Ramadhan J. Suleiman, 2024. "The Paradox of Eternity Nature of Article 9(3) and Article 80A of the Constitution of Zanzibar, 1984 Over the Sustainability of Zanzibar Government of National Unity: The Glance of 2015-2016 and Persp," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(3), pages 2268-2274, March.
    6. William G Nomikos, 2021. "Why share? An analysis of the sources of post-conflict power-sharing," Journal of Peace Research, Peace Research Institute Oslo, vol. 58(2), pages 248-262, March.
    7. Lee, Sun Youn & Ohtake, Fumio, 2018. "Is being agreeable a key to success or failure in the labor market?," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 8-27.
    8. Artjoms Ivlevs, 2021. "Does Emigration Affect Pro‐environmental Behaviour Back Home? A Long‐Term, Local‐Level Perspective," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 74(1), pages 48-76, February.
    9. Sun Youn Lee & Fumio Ohtake, 2021. "How Conscious Are You of Others? Further Evidence on Relative Income and Happiness," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 22(8), pages 3321-3356, December.
    10. Weijie Luo, 2022. "Inequality and growth in the twenty‐first century," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 69(4), pages 345-366, September.
    11. Satoshi Tanaka, 2020. "Power Sharing and Patronage Ethnic Politics: The Political Economy of Ethnic Party Dominance in the Dayton Bosnia," OSIPP Discussion Paper 20E005, Osaka School of International Public Policy, Osaka University.
    12. Victoria Paniagua & Jan P. Vogler, 2022. "Economic elites and the constitutional design of sharing political power," Constitutional Political Economy, Springer, vol. 33(1), pages 25-52, March.

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