A Study On Democratic Self-Enforcing Theory

Nineteen eighties,the study of the democratic consolidation gradually prosperous,researching on the democratic transformation from "Transitology" gradually transitionto "Consolidology".democratic Self-Enforcing theory is the latest researchingachievements of democratic consolidation. The so-called democratic Self-Enforcing, isthat all the important political actors honor the democratic rules in the absence offoreign power. Democratic Self-Enforcing theory explores the core mechanism of thedemocratic Self-Enforcing.In this field, many scholars use game theory to study democratic Self-Enforcingissues. The old research methods of democratization are divided into structural analysismethod and actors analysis method. Structural analysis method is based on studies ofthe external structural factors influenceing democratization, including economicdevelopment, culture, political systems, historical experience, social structure,education, modern circumstances and so on. Actors analysis approach is to study therole of the various political actors in the political events at the process of politicaltransformation. The structural analysis methods and Actors analysis method have theirown strengths and weaknesses. The former focuses on the conditions, limitations,butlack of the dynamic role; The latter focuses on the dynamic role, but ignored theconditions and limitations. Looking for a combination of the two methods, bothfocuses on the conditions, limitations, and concerns the dynamic role. Game theorymethod combinates structural factors and Actors analysis,is a good combination of thetwo methods.Democratic Self-Enforcing theory is innovative in methodology, and also is theintroduction of a mechanism in the pattern. Many scholars analyze the problem withtwo main mechanisms: redistribution and coordination. Daron acemoglu、Jamesa.robinson、 Adam Przeworski think that the core mechanism of DemocraticSelf-Enforcing is redistribution. Redistribution is not only important issue in the democratic transition, but also in the democratic consolidation. Redistribution can bereached between the rich and the poor, democracy will be able to Self-Enforcing,whiledemocracy will be subversion probably. Barry R.Weingast、Fearon James believe thatthe core mechanism of democratic Self-Enforcing is coordination. Democratic stabilityneeds to build two lines of defense to prevent an attempt to subvert the democraticsystem: the first line of defense is the blocking of other political elites; the second lineof defense is the prevention of citizens. The construction of the first line of defense isrelated to the attitude of the elites and the power of elites, it is important forcoordination between the political elites. The construction of the second line of defenseneeds citizens action, the most important issue of citizen action is the coordination, andthe number of citizens is huge, it is more difficult to coordination between citizens thanelites.the exchange of information is crucial when people are coordinating. If citizensare able to communicate with others, and are able to reach a unified understanding ofwhen and how to act, the citizens will be easier to handle the coordination problem.The electoral system provides a low-cost platform for exchanging information betweencitizens, and it is conducive to solve the coordination problem.Democratic Self-Enforcing theory also has some problems. First, this theoryresearches military factors weakly; Second, this theory studies cultural simply;Finally,the study of game theory also needs to develop deeply.