Quiz on Economic and Cultural Determinants of Democracy

What form (what type of categorical syllogism) does the following argument take?

Major premise: If Protestantism is antithetical to democracy, then Protestant-majority countries are more likely to be dictatorships than democracies.

Minor premise: Most Protestant-majority countries around the world today are democracies.

Conclusion: Therefore, Protestantism is compatible with democracy.

• Affirming the antecedent

• Denying the antecedent

• Affirming the consequent

• Denying the consequent

Answer explanation

This is an example of denying the consequent If P, then Q;

Not Q,

Therefore, not P

The major premise states, "If Protestantism is antithetical to democracy, then Protestant-majority countries are more likely to be dictatorships."

The minor premise denies the consequent by stating that Protestant-majority countries today are democracies.

Thus, the conclusion follows that Protestantism is not antithetical to democracy.

What does the Ultimatum Game suggest about the importance of social preferences in decision-making?

• People are solely motivated by monetary gain.

• Social preferences, such as fairness and reciprocity, play a significant role in decision-making.

• Social preferences are irrelevant when it comes to monetary offers.

• People prioritize speed over fairness in decision-making.

Answer explanation

The Ultimatum Game reveals that people often reject unfair offers, even at a cost to themselves.

This suggests that fairness and social preferences are more important than maximizing personal monetary gain

Consider the following: "If citizens have mobile assets, then the government will not predate on them." What is the independent variable?

• Mobile assets

• Government predation

• Loyalty

Answer explanation

The independent variable is the factor that influences the outcome.

In this case, the presence of mobile assets is the condition that affects whether the government will engage in predation.

According to the implications of the Exit, Voice, and Loyalty game, we should expect that countries in which the state controls high levels of natural resources are more likely to be democratic than countries in which the state does not control high levels of natural resources?

• True

• False

Answer explanation

According to the EVL game, countries with high natural resources are less likely to be democratic because the state does not depend on citizens for revenue.

Consequently, the state does not need to respond to their demands, often leading to autocratic governance.

"Economic growth increases government stability." What is the dependent variable?

• Economic growth

• Government stability.

Answer explanation

The dependent variable is the outcome affected by the independent variable.

In this case, government stability is influenced by economic growth.

A great deal of empirical evidence indicates that there is a strong association between income and democracy. This is what would be predicted by:

• Modernization theory

• The survival story

• Both modernization theory and the survival story

• Neither; this evidence disproves implications from both theories.

Answer explanation

• Both modernization theory and the survival story predict a positive relationship between higher income and democracy.

• Modernization theory posits that higher income leads to the emergence and survival of democracies.

• The survival story predicts higher income increases democratic survival, but does not make any claims about the

  emergence of democracy.

What did Putnam find in his study of Italy regarding social capital?

• Social capital was higher in southern Italy compared to northern Italy.

• Regions with higher levels of social capital had better governmental performance.

• Social capital had no effect on the performance of regional governments.

• Social capital was only present in rural areas of Italy.

Answer explanation

Putnam’s (1993) study found that areas with higher levels of social capital (networks of trust, norms of reciprocity, civic engagement) also had more effective governance.

What do primordialist arguments claim about culture and democracy?

• Culture is constructed and changes over time.

• Culture has no influence on political systems.

• Culture is inherited and fixed, affecting political behavior.

• Economic factors are the only determinants of democracy.

Answer explanation

Primordialist arguments suggest that cultural traits are deeply ingrained and shape political outcomes.

The implication is that these cultural characteristics are difficult to change, and therefore, democratic norms may not resonate with some cultures.

What does the "values story" in cultural modernization theory suggest?

• Economic development directly leads to democracy.

• Cultural values mediate the relationship between development and democracy.

• Political institutions directly shape economic development.

• Religious beliefs determine the likelihood of democratization.

Answer explanation

The "values story" asserts that economic development leads to changes in cultural values, which then promote the emergence and stability of democratic institutions.

According to the implications from the EVL game,

states with unlimited governments (dictatorships) should exhibit variation in economic growth.

When will dictatorships perform well (that is, have a growing economy)?

• When the citizens have a credible exit threat, and the state is dependent.

• When the citizens have a credible exit threat, and the state is autonomous.

• When the citizens do not have a credible exit threat.

Answer explanation

If citizens cannot exit or withhold their resources, they cannot leverage their economic power to influence the government.

As a result, the state can and will likely take advantage of this and accumulate wealth through predatory economic behavior, without fearing economic decline caused by disinvestment.

In the EVL game this lead to a "rich dictatorship" where the state benefits while the citizens have little power or influence.