Electoralism is a term first used by Terry Karl, professor of political science at Stanford University, to describe a "half-way" transition from authoritarian rule toward democratic rule. Political science is a branch of Social sciences that deals with the theory and practice of Politics and the description and analysis of Political systems Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly known as Stanford University or simply Stanford, is a private Research university located in Authoritarianism describes a Form of government characterized by an emphasis on the Authority of the State in a republic or union Democracy is a form of government in which the supreme power is held completely by the people under a free electoral system As a topic in the dominant party system political science literature, electoralism describe a situation where the transition out of hard-authoritarian rule is initiated and managed by the incumbent regime. A dominant-party system, or one party dominant system, is a Party system where only one Political party can realistically become the Government However, due to the dominant position of the incumbent regime throughout the transition process, the transition fails to attain the institutional qualities of liberal democracy. The term "liberal" in "liberal democracy" does not imply that the government of such a democracy must follow the political ideology of Other terms, such as guided transition or managed transition have been used to describe this process.
Under electoralism, the regime essentially conducts the electoral aspects of democractic governance in a relatively 'free and fair' manner. Massive acts of voting fraud and election-day intimidation are essentially absent. Electoral fraud is illegal interference with the process of an Election. However, other features of democracy, such as the rule of law and institutional separation of powers, are absent under electoralism. The rule of law, in its most basic form is the principle that no one is above the law Separation of powers, a term ascribed to French Enlightenment Political philosopher Baron de Montesquieu, is a model for the Governance The entire election process is skewed in favor of the incumbent regime. The media tends to ignore or paint the opposition in a negative light, the high court and election commission tends to make judgements in favor of the incumbent, and on some occasions, opposition rallies are denied or canceled by the police.
Some examples include:
- Tanzania after 1992
- Kenya after 1991
- Mexico between late 1980s and 2000. The East African nation of Tanzania dates formally only from 1964 The history of Kenya as a land occupied by sentient humans extends for millions of years even though the history of Kenya as an independent state is relatively short Mexico is a country in North America and the largest Spanish -speaking country in the world
- South Korea after 1987
Citations
Giliomee, Herman and Charles Simkins (eds). The Sixth Republic of South Korea is the country's present-day government (1999). The Awkward Embrace: One-Party Domination and Democracy. Overseas Publisher Association.
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