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This article offers a revision of democratic theory in light of the experience of recently democratized countries, located outside of the northwestern quadrant of the world. First, various definitions of democracy that claim to follow Schumpeter & are usually considered to be "minimalist" or "processualist" are critically examined. Building on but clarifying these conceptual efforts, a realistic & restricted, but not minimalist, definition of a democratic regime is proposed. Thereafter, this article argues that democracy should be analyzed not only at the level of the political regime, but also in relation to the state -- especially the state qua legal system -- & to certain aspects of the overall social context. The main underlying theme that runs through this article is the concept of agency, especially as it is expressed in the legal system of existing democracies. 87 References. Adapted from the source document.

The present text is, basically, a revision of democratic theory from the perspective of its inadequacies for including into its scope many of the recently democratized countries, as well as some older democracies located outside of the Northwestern quadrant of the world. After warning that it is a first step in a larger and more ambitious endeavor, the paper begins by critically examining various definitions of democracy, especially those that, claiming to follow Schumpeter, are deemed to be minimalist, or procesualist. On this basis, a realistic and restricted, but not minimalist, definition of a democratic regime is proposed. After this step, the connections of this topic with several others are explored, including political, social, and welfare rights; the state, especially in its legal dimension; and some characteristics of the overall social context. The main grounding factor that results from these explorations is the conception of agency, especially as it is expressed in the legal system of existing democracies - although the effectiveness of this system and of its underlying conceptions of agency vary quite widely across cases. The approach of the text emphasizes legal and historical factors, while also tracing, in several comparative excursi, some important differences among various kinds of cases. The main conclusions are stated in several propositions, the major thrust of which entails an invitation toward a theoretically disciplined broadening of the analytical and comparative scope of contemporary democratic theory.

O debate sobre a democracia tem oscilado entre dois extremos: o dos que os regimes democraticos se definem tao-somente pela vigencia de um conjunto de direitos legais universais e o daqueles que defendem que sem um patamar minimo de igualdade substantiva, em termos de bem-estar material, nao ha democracia. Neste artigo o autor persegue uma posicao intermediaria que, sem negar a centralidade dos direitos formais na definicao do regime democratico, aponta os limites que contextos de extrema pobreza e desigualdade social impoem ao exercicio destes direitos por parcelas expressivas da sociedade, truncando a nocao de democracia. (Novos Estud CEBRAP/DÜI)

Focuses on the existence of state agencies legally empowered and willing and able to take actions in accordance with the rule of law against other agents or agencies of the state, in countries that hold free and fair elections.