Why do remarkable variations among states in the rule of law, a set of stable political rules and rights applied impartilally to all citizens exist? How can we limit the abuse of power in democracy and what exactly represents the foundation of a functional democracy?
The theory proposed by Weingast suggests that the state can be limited only when and if the members of a society find a solution to their coordination dilemmas in respect to this issue. The coordination needs a large shared consensus regarding the appropite state limits, which do not include only simply respecting the elections’ resutls, but also fair rules concerning the whole political competition and also limiting rules of interventions through public policies.
The consensus and coordination mean can take the shape of a constitution, or pact- of a set of rules whose fulfillment must be in the politic actors own interest, for they are so valued that the citizens are ready to defend them, withdrawing th esupport for those who will want to infringe on them. This connsensus regarding the values and the stability of democracy results in divisions which form, in time, a ” civic culture”and makes that all groups react when an abuse against even one of them takes place, because they will also be protected in the future. If there is no consensus, then an alternation between democratic periods and authoritarioan episodes will be created, alternation ilustrated very well in the South America history, in the XX century.
Presentation by Horia Terpe
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