Observing incumbent abuses

Improving Measures of Electoral and Competitive Authoritarianism With New Data

Bibliographic Data

ID6253597
AuthorsSamuel Handlin (0000-0003-3459-2609, University of Utah, corresponding author)
Year2017
Volume24
Issue1
Pages41-60
Publication date2017-01-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueDemocratization (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1351-0347 • E-ISSN: 1743-890X
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13510347.2016.1149814
OpenAlexW2329989619
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited32

Electoral and competitive authoritarian regimes have become a major focus of comparative research. Yet, finding measures that distinguish these regimes from democracies is challenging, especially for scholars conducting large-N cross-national research, as this conceptual distinction rests on incumbent abuses that are difficult to systematically observe. This article reviews common measures that simply utilize extant regime indicators to draw the line with democracy, demonstrates their poor performance in mirroring a benchmark from case-based measurement, and illustrates the adverse implications for theory building. The article then shows how data on incumbent abuse from the National Elections Across Democracy and Dictatorship (NELDA) and Varieties of Democracy (VDEM) projects can be utilized to construct alternative measures. A NELDA-based measure far outperforms extant alternatives in mirroring the case-based benchmark. The article then discusses why a VDEM-based alternative should be a superior option once data is available and how one might be constructed

Authoritarianism · Benchmark (surveying · Construct (python library · Democracy · Dictatorship · Economics · Extant taxon · Law and economics · Mirroring · Political science · Politics · Positive economics · Sociology · Computer Science · Electoral Systems and Political Participation · International Development and Aid · Law · Political Conflict and Governance

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