The modernization theory, as famously articulated by Seymour Martin Lipset (1959), posits a strong correlation between affluence and stable democracy, suggesting that rising levels of economic development — measured through indicators like per capita income, education, urbanization, and industrialization — create favorable conditions for the emergence and consolidation of democratic regimes. This theory has been … Continue reading Given the modernization theory’s postulate that affluence fosters stable democracy, and considering India’s unique trajectory of sustaining a democratic system despite prolonged periods of significant poverty, what specific socio-political and institutional factors within India’s historical and contemporary context can explain this apparent deviation from the theory, and what implications does this “Indian exception” hold for the broader theoretical understanding of the relationship between economic development and democratic consolidation in diverse global settings?
Tag: social cleavages
How has the impact of electoral systems and cleavages on party system formation in developing nations evolved over time, particularly in the context of democratization processes, globalization, and the emergence of new forms of social and political identity?
The relationship between electoral systems, social cleavages, and party system formation in developing nations has undergone important transformations over time, influenced by the interplay of democratization processes, globalization, and the rise of new social and political identities. While early comparative political science scholarship, particularly following the sociological-institutional insights of Lipset and Rokkan (1967), emphasized the … Continue reading How has the impact of electoral systems and cleavages on party system formation in developing nations evolved over time, particularly in the context of democratization processes, globalization, and the emergence of new forms of social and political identity?