Popular Definitions of Democracy from Uganda, Madagascar, and Florida, U.S.A

Bibliographic Data

ID20298232
AuthorsRichard R Marcus, K Mease, D Ottemoeller
Year2001
Volume36
Issue1
Pages113-132
Publication date2001-01-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Asian and African Studies (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0021-9096 • E-ISSN: 1745-2538
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/002190960103600106
OpenAlexW4247035684
LanguageEN
Citations received5

This paper compares three studies of popular definitions of democracy. The goal of the paper is to explore the universality of democratic notions and norms. We accomplish this goal by disaggregating definitions of democracy, and reporting the results of empirical studies that asked Ugandan and Malagasy citizens to define democracy. We then compare these results to a parallel study that asked Americans living in Florida to define democracy. The principal finding is that despite methodological differences the response trend was the same for all three studies. The majority of people defined democracy in terms of "freedom," and generally specific individual freedoms, as opposed to elections, political participation, elements of good governance, economic development, or other common factors. Based on this finding we assert that normative implications of liberalism in popular definitions of democracy can inform both theoretical and policy oriented analyses of democracy in Africa

Corporate governance · Democracy · Democratic governance · Development economics · Direct democracy · Economics · Good governance · Liberal democracy · Liberalism · Normative · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Representative democracy · Sociology · Law · Political Philosophy and Ethics · Public Administration · Religion and Society Interactions

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