Democracy is often considered as the most desirable form of governance, as it offers the promise of equal representation for all citizens in policy-making. However, in practice, this promise is rarely fulfilled. This essay will examine a study on Norway’s democracy, which aims to evaluate the extent of policy unresponsiveness in a democracy that has significantly reduced economic inequality and limited money in politics.
The concept of policy unresponsiveness
Policy unresponsiveness refers to the tendency of democracies to cater to the interests of the affluent rather than the average citizen. This phenomenon is a significant concern, as it undermines the fundamental principles of democracy. In most democracies, the affluent have a more substantial say in policy-making than the average citizen, even though the latter has the right to an equal say.
The Gilens Model and its implications
In a 2012 study, political scientist Martin Gilens found that public policy in the United States favoured the preferences of the affluent at the expense of the poor and the middle classes. The study highlighted that political parties’ reliance on private campaign donations in the United States makes democracy more unresponsive to the non-affluent.
This finding implies that countries that rely heavily on private campaign donations may be more unresponsive to their citizens’ needs. In such countries, politicians may prioritize the interests of their donors over the general public’s interests.
Norway’s democracy: A case study
The study on Norway’s democracy aims to evaluate the extent of policy unresponsiveness in a country that has reduced economic inequality and restricted money in politics. The study found that Norway’s democracy is less unresponsive than other democracies. However, policy unresponsiveness still exists, and the affluent still have more say in policy-making than the average citizen.
Norway’s efforts to reduce economic inequality
Norway has been successful in reducing economic inequality through progressive taxation and extensive welfare policies. However, the study found that despite these efforts, the affluent still have more influence over policy-making than the average citizen. This suggests that reducing economic inequality alone is not enough to ensure democratic responsiveness.
Restricting money in politics
Norway has also made significant efforts to restrict money in politics, which could reduce the influence of the affluent in policy-making. The study found that these efforts have been successful to some extent. However, the affluent still have a more substantial say in policy-making than the average citizen.
Why In News
A study was conducted to evaluate the level of policy unresponsiveness in Norway’s democracy, which is considered one of the most effective democracies in reducing economic inequality and limiting the influence of money in politics. The study aims to understand the extent to which these measures have mitigated policy unresponsiveness and their limitations in ensuring democratic responsiveness.
MCQs about Policy Unresponsiveness in Norway’s Democracy
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What is policy unresponsiveness?
A. The tendency of democracies to cater to the interests of the average citizen
B. The tendency of democracies to cater to the interests of the affluent
C. The tendency of democracies to be responsive to the needs of all citizens
D. The tendency of democracies to be unresponsive to the needs of all citizens
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According to the Gilens model, what is the reason for policy unresponsiveness in the United States?
A. Political parties’ reliance on private campaign donations
B. Heavy regulation of campaign financing
C. Limited influence of affluent citizens on policy-making
D. The absence of economic inequality
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What is the impact of reducing economic inequality and limiting money in politics on policy unresponsiveness in Norway?
A. They have completely eliminated policy unresponsiveness
B. They have significantly reduced policy unresponsiveness
C. They have no impact on policy unresponsiveness
D. They have increased policy unresponsiveness
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