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The Uneasy Relationship between Empirical and Normative Types in Consociational Theory

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  • Matthijs Bogaards

Abstract

Consociationalism has enriched comparative politics with a whole lineage of non-majoritarian types of democracy: from consociational democracy to consensus democracy and power-sharing. This article unravels the development, interaction and succession of empirical and normative typologies in 30 years of consociational literature as embodied in the work of Lijphart. It argues that consociational theory is plagued by serious conceptual problems which remain undetected by current inquiries into proper concept formation. The problem lies both in Lijphart's empirical typology of democracies and in the presence of a complementary but incongruent normative typology. The conclusion is that in the end the two kinds of typology weaken instead of strengthen each other and lay bare fundamental weaknesses in consociational theory. It is suggested that the empirical investigation of the normative rival types of consociational and majoritarian democracy, properly defined and operationalized, should be at the heart of new research strategies.

Suggested Citation

  • Matthijs Bogaards, 2000. "The Uneasy Relationship between Empirical and Normative Types in Consociational Theory," Journal of Theoretical Politics, , vol. 12(4), pages 395-423, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:jothpo:v:12:y:2000:i:4:p:395-423
    DOI: 10.1177/0951692800012004002
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sartori, Giovanni, 1970. "Concept Misformation in Comparative Politics," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 64(4), pages 1033-1053, December.
    2. Lijphart, Arend, 1996. "The Puzzle of Indian Democracy: A Consociational Interpretation," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 90(2), pages 258-268, June.
    3. Anderson, Christopher J. & Guillory, Christine A., 1997. "Political Institutions and Satisfaction with Democracy: A Cross-National Analysis of Consensus and Majoritarian Systems," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 91(1), pages 66-81, March.
    4. Lijphart, Arend & Crepaz, Markus M. L., 1991. "Corporatism and Consensus Democracy in Eighteen Countries: Conceptual and Empirical Linkages," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(2), pages 235-246, April.
    5. Lijphart, Arend, 1975. "Review Article: the Northern Ireland Problem; Cases, Theories, and Solutions," British Journal of Political Science, Cambridge University Press, vol. 5(1), pages 83-106, January.
    6. Lijphart, Arend, 1971. "Comparative Politics and the Comparative Method," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 65(3), pages 682-693, September.
    7. Giovanni Sartori, 1994. "Comparative Constitutional Engineering," International Economic Association Series, Palgrave Macmillan, number 978-1-349-22861-4.
    8. Collier, David & Mahon, James E., 1993. "Conceptual “Stretching” Revisited: Adapting Categories in Comparative Analysis," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 87(4), pages 845-855, December.
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