Ethnic Minority Governments, Democracy, and Human Rights

This study investigates empirically whether or not the presence of minority governments is more likely to induce the erosion of democracy. This is in light of how extant research in comparative democratization has focused on the deleterious effect of ethnic fractionalization on democratic survival. However, more recent work that re-examined the ethnic heterogeneity and democratic collapse nexus finds mostly null effects. This article shows that ethnic fractionalization per se does not hinder the process of democratization. The study finds that the assumption to power of minority heads of government and their length of tenure in office lead to ethnic minority dominance that has a pernicious effect on democratic development and the promotion of human rights. The implications suggest that the presence of minority governments may generate ethnic tensions that precipitate longstanding political instability, which makes it difficult for democratic politics and its practices to endure. Related Articles Zavala de Alba, and Luis Eduardo. 2012. “Toward an International Implementation of Public Policies in Human Rights: A Necessary Step in Every Democratization Process for Advancements in Economic and Social Rights.” Politics & Policy 40 (5): 783-801. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2012.00385.x/abstract Harel-Shalev, Ayelet. 2009.”Lingual and Educational Policy toward ‘Homeland Minorities’ in Deeply Divided Societies: India and Israel as Case Studies.” Politics & Policy 37 (5): 951-970. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2009.00206.x/abstract Kim, Hae. 2009. “The Complexities of Internal Conflict in the Third World: Beyond Ethnic and Religious Conflict.” Politics & Policy 37 (2): 395-414. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1747-1346.2009.00177.x/abstract Related Media Chaulia, Sreeram. 2003. “Minority Rule, Majority Hate.” Asia Times. June 7. http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/EF07Aa01.html Kramer, Martin. 2004. “When Minorities Rule in the Middle East (Parts 1 & 2).” December 22. The Washington Institute. http://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/when-minorities-rule-in-the-middle-east-part-i-syria and https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/when-minorities-rule-in-the-middle-east-part-ii-historical-realities Wimmer, Andreas, Lars-Erik Cederman, and Brian Min. 2014. “Ethnic Power Relations Dataset Version 3.0.” http://www.epr.ucla.edu/ Chua, Amy. 2004. “Conversations with History: Discussion on World on Fire: How Exporting Free Market Democracy Breeds Ethnic Hatred and Global Instability.” January 22. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PUrfo5cyeDA Este estudio analiza empiricamente si la prescencia de gobiernos minoritarios aumenta la probabilidad de inducir la erosion de la democracia. Esto debido a como la literatura existente sobre democratizacion comparativa se ha enfocado en los efectos negativos de la fragmentacion etnica en la sobrevivencia de la democracia. Sin embargo, investigaciones recientes que han examinado la heterogeneidad etnica y su relacion con el colapso democratico no han encontrado un efecto significativo. En este articulo, argumentamos que la fragmentacion etnica por si sola no dana el proceso de democratizacion. Este estudio encuentra que la toma de poder de una cabeza de estado perteneciente a la minoria y su periodo de tiempo en el poder pueden provocar dominancia de la minoria que a su vez tiene un efecto negativo en el desarrollo de la democracia y la promocion de los derechos humanos. En conclusion, estas implicaciones indican que la presencia de gobiernos minoritarios puede generar tensiones etnicas que precipiten la inestabilidad politica ya existente, lo cual dificulta una politica democratica y promueve las practicas existentes.