Lijphart Alliance Democratic Theory Research

According to the traditional western wisdom, social homogeneity and Two-party System are two basic prerequisites for achieving stable democracy whereas a high degree of heterogeneity and plurality leads to instability. In traditional opinion, Two-party system is more conducive to stable democracy than One Party System and Multi-party System does.Consociational Democracy theory, advanced by Arend Lijphart, is a kind of theoretical mode on achieving stable democracy in societies with high degree of segmentation. Arend Lijphart is a scholar of political science in Holland in 20^th century. This theory challenged the traditional idea that no stable democracy could exist in plural societies. The essence of this theory is that sub-cultural leaders resolve conflicts by power-sharing, elite cooperation and mutual accommodation, so as to achieve compromise and consensus and build up a stable democracy. The mode proposes Moderate Multiparty System (from 3 to 4 parties) and is opposed to British government-versus-opposition pattern emphasizing competition.Consociational Democracy, proposed by Lijphart, is a fruit of further study of Gabrial A. Almond's classic typology of political systems in 1956. It is a set of theory, also a kind of democratic mode in practice. It is one in forth of Typology of Democratic Regimes and based on two dimensions: cultural heterogeneity and elites' rational cooperation. It contains inner elements, including Grand Coalition, Mutual Veto, Proportionality, Segmental Autonomy and Federalism, and contains outer qualifications, including the Balance of Power, Moderate Multiparty Systems, Small Size, Crosscutting Cleavages, Segmental Isolation and Federalism, Traditions of Elite Accommodation, etc.As an experiential mode, Consociational Democracy points to four European countries (Austria, Belgium, Holland, Switzerland) and other developing countries(Luxemburg, Lebanon, Malaysia, etc) in some period in history. As an normative mode, it provides new norm for The Third World Countries. Its applicability depends on many favorable, unfavorable and uncertain factors. Although not so perfect the conditions are, Lijphart investigated his theory carefully with optimism and called for a Consociational Engineering in nonwestern plural societies.Consociational Democracy has some main flaws which affected people's confidence for this theory, which posed challenges to Lijphart. To contrast with china's political practice, the question of how to appraise Lijphart's Consociational Democracy can be further proposed.