POLSCI 1AB3 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Washington Naval Treaty, Authoritarianism, Anachronism

• School: McMaster University
• Department: Political Science
• Course: POLSCI 1AB3
• Professor: Always

Document Summary

Lecture 5: transitions to democracy & international relations theory. *bolded text is info that was actually on the slides. The movement of history appears to be away from non democratic rule. Although different explanations exist, this argument has set the parameters for much of the conversation of the spread of democracy. According to huntington, democracy has spread in 3 waves. Rather than a steady, straight, upward increase, huntington suggests democracy has spread in waves of increasing amplitude. Important to focus on both the ups and downs. The wave metaphor suggests there is a movement which exists. 1820s until 1920s 29 democracies worldwide. If you look solely at this wave, it appears that democracy will continue. There is a decline - democracy falls and collapses in different countries. At the lowest point there are only 12 democracies. It appears that democracy is finished - totalitarianism seems more common / the future.