Showing papers on "Politics published in 2020"
31 Dec 2020
TL;DR: Asad as discussed by the authors explores the concepts, practices, and political formations of the secularism, with emphasis on the major historical shifts that have shaped secular sensibilities and attitudes in the modern West and the Middle East, and concludes that the secular cannot be viewed as a successor to religion, or be seen as on the side of the rational.
Abstract: Opening with the provocative query "what might an anthropology of the secular look like?" this book explores the concepts, practices, and political formations of secularism, with emphasis on the major historical shifts that have shaped secular sensibilities and attitudes in the modern West and the Middle East. Talal Asad proceeds to dismantle commonly held assumptions about the secular and the terrain it allegedly covers. He argues that while anthropologists have oriented themselves to the study of the "strangeness of the non-European world" and to what are seen as non-rational dimensions of social life (things like myth, taboo, and religion),the modern and the secular have not been adequately examined. The conclusion is that the secular cannot be viewed as a successor to religion, or be seen as on the side of the rational. It is a category with a multi-layered history, related to major premises of modernity, democracy, and the concept of human rights. This book will appeal to anthropologists, historians, religious studies scholars, as well as scholars working on modernity.
2,816 citations
Book•
06 Aug 2020
TL;DR: Foucault argued that any constitutional theory of sovereignty and right is an attempt to refute the fact that power relations are based upon a relationship of conflict, violence and domination.
Abstract: SOCIETY MUST BE DEFENDED is a full transcript of the lectures given by Foucault at the College de France in 1975-76. The main theme of the lectures is the contention that war can be used to analyse power relations. Foucault contends that politics isa continuation of war by other means. Thus, any constitutional theory of sovereignty and right is an attempt to refute the fact that power relations are based upon a relationship of conflict, violence and domination. The book is coloured with historical examples, drawn from the early modern period in both England and France, with wonderful digressions into subjects as diverse as classical French tragedy and the gothic novel.
1,425 citations
Book•
17 Mar 2020
TL;DR: The Lonely Crowd is considered by many to be the most influential book of the twentieth century as discussed by the authors, and its now-classic analysis of the 'new middle class' in terms of inner-directed and other-directed social character opened exciting new dimensions in our understanding of the psychological, political, and economic problems that confront the individual in contemporary American society.
Abstract: The Lonely Crowd is considered by many to be the most influential book of the twentieth century. Its now-classic analysis of the 'new middle class' in terms of inner-directed and other-directed social character opened exciting new dimensions in our understanding of the psychological, political, and economic problems that confront the individual in contemporary American society. The 1969 abridged and revised edition of the book is now reissued with a new foreword by Todd Gitlin that explains why the book is still relevant to our own era.
1,054 citations
15 Jan 2020
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629 citations
TL;DR: New survey evidence is presented of significant gaps at the individual level between Republicans and Democrats in self-reported social distancing, beliefs about personal COVID risk, and beliefs about the future severity of the pandemic.
580 citations
TL;DR: Although the government has taken major steps to educate the public and limit the spread of the disease, more effort is needed to educate and support the lower economic strata.
Abstract: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been recognized as a pandemic by the World Health Organization. Global efforts have been exerted to prevent the spreading of the disease through political decisions together with personal behaviors, which depend on awareness of the public. The goal of this study is to assess the knowledge, perceptions and attitude of the Egyptian public towards the COVID-19 disease. We conducted a cross-sectional survey about these points, which was distributed among adult Egyptians. Five hundred and fifty nine persons completed the survey. The mean knowledge score was 16.39 out of 23, gained mainly though social media (66.9%), and the internet (58.3%). Knowledge was significantly lower among older, less educated, lower income participants, and rural residents. Most participants (86.9%) were concerned about the risk of infection. While 37.6% thought that their salary will be continued if they become isolated, 68.5% believed that it should be continued during this period. About 73.0% were looking forward to get the vaccine when available. In general, participants had a good knowledge about the disease and a positive attitude towards protective measures. This knowledge is gained mainly through novel media channels, which have pros and cons. Although the government has taken major steps to educate the public and limit the spread of the disease, more effort is needed to educate and support the lower economic strata. If a vaccine or a treatment is approved, we recommend a government control over its use to preserve the rights of the vulnerable and needy groups.
508 citations
Book•
11 May 2020
TL;DR: The Importance of Leadership and Management for Education Models of educational leadership and management Formal Models Collegial Models Political Models Subjective Models Ambiguity Models Cultural Models as discussed by the authors...
Abstract: The Importance of Leadership and Management for Education Models of Educational Leadership and Management Formal Models Collegial Models Political Models Subjective Models Ambiguity Models Cultural Models
489 citations
Book•
13 Oct 2020
TL;DR: The authors examines the relationship between the "diaspora" and the "homeland" and suggests ways in which disapora communities can show forms of support and solidarity that remain critical and reflective rather than simply bolstering of attitudes at home.
Abstract: This discussion examines the relationship between the "diaspora" and the "homeland," suggesting ways in which disapora communities can show forms of support and solidarity that remain critical and reflective rather than simply bolstering of attitudes at home. It also looks at spatial practices within the history of the Jewish diaspora in order to open up new relationships to political contexts in the era of globalisation.
441 citations
TL;DR: It is found that high-trust regions decrease their mobility related to non-necessary activities significantly more than low- Trust regions, and the efficiency of policy stringency in terms of mobility reduction significantly increases with trust.
431 citations
TL;DR: The authors reviewed the literature on the political and power dimensions of co-production and showed how depoliticization dynamics in coproduction reinforce rather than mitigate existing unequal power relations and how they prevent wider societal transformation from taking place.
306 citations
TL;DR: This paper found that political differences are the single most consistent factor that differentiates Americans health behaviors and policy preferences during the 2020 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, and that public health messaging must deliberately transcend political cleavages in order to produce widely shared pro-social health behavior.
Abstract: Individual choices made during the 2020 coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic shape the course of the virus’s spread and the risks facing human populations. Yet the response to COVID-19 in the United States has been deeply political, and elite messaging from the administration of President Donald J. Trump may have produced a differential mass public health response among his supporters. To estimate the extent of these differences, we conducted an original survey of 3,000 American citizens between March 20-23 to collect data on health behavior, attitudes, and opinions about how to respond to the crisis. Measuring partisanship as party affiliation, intended 2020 Presidential vote, and self-placed ideological positioning, we find that political differences are the single most consistent factor that differentiates’ Americans health behaviors and policy preferences. These results suggest that in the United States, public health messaging must deliberately transcend political cleavages in order to produce widely shared pro-social health
behavior.
TL;DR: It was found that if a vaccine against the new coronavirus became available, almost a quarter of respondents would not use it, and attitudes to this vaccine were correlated significantly with political partisanship and engagement with the political system.
02 Apr 2020
TL;DR: The authors argue that changes in media structure and media policy, whether these stem from economic developments or from public intervention, are properly political questions of as much importance as the question of whether or not to introduce proportional representation, of relations between local and national government, of subsidies to political parties.
Abstract: It is a commonplace to assert that public communication lies at the heart of the democratic process; that citizens require equal access also to sources of information and equal opportunities to participate in the debates from which political decisions rightly flow. This chapter argues that it follows that changes in media structure and media policy, whether these stem from economic developments or from public intervention, are properly political questions of as much importance as the question of whether or not to introduce proportional representation, of relations between local and national government, of subsidies to political parties. It focuses upon broadcasting and upon the public service model of broadcasting as an embodiment of the principles of the public sphere. Such a focus is a conscious corrective to the more normal focus in debates about the media and politics upon the press, and upon a free press model derived from the history of print communication.
Book•
29 Oct 2020TL;DR: The power of symbolic representation, symbolic action and the power to create symbolic reality is discussed in this paper, where a broad range of existing work by philosophers, sociolinguists, sociologists and applied linguists is presented.
Abstract: Language is not simply a tool for communication - symbolic power struggles underlie any speech act, discourse move, or verbal interaction, be it in face-to-face conversations, online tweets or political debates. This book provides a clear and accessible introduction to the topic of language and power from an applied linguistics perspective. It is clearly split into three sections: the power of symbolic representation, the power of symbolic action and the power to create symbolic reality. It draws upon a wide range of existing work by philosophers, sociolinguists, sociologists and applied linguists, and includes current real-world examples, to provide a fresh insight into a topic that is of particular significance and interest in the current political climate and in our increasingly digital age. The book shows the workings of language as symbolic power in educational, social, cultural and political settings and discusses ways to respond to and even resist symbolic violence.
Northwestern University1, Duke University2, Harvard University3, University of California, Irvine4, Stanford University5, University of Arizona6, University of Maryland, College Park7, Dartmouth College8, Massachusetts Institute of Technology9, University of Illinois at Chicago10, New York University11
TL;DR: This work identifies the superordinate construct of political sectarianism and identifies its three core ingredients: othering, aversion, and moralization, and proposes interventions for minimizing its most corrosive aspects.
Abstract: A poisonous cocktail of othering, aversion, and moralization poses a threat to democracy Political polarization, a concern in many countries, is especially acrimonious in the United States (see the first box). For decades, scholars have studied polarization as an ideological matter—how strongly Democrats and Republicans diverge vis-à-vis political ideals and policy goals. Such competition among groups in the marketplace of ideas is a hallmark of a healthy democracy. But more recently, researchers have identified a second type of polarization, one focusing less on triumphs of ideas than on dominating the abhorrent supporters of the opposing party (1). This literature has produced a proliferation of insights and constructs but few interdisciplinary efforts to integrate them. We offer such an integration, pinpointing the superordinate construct of political sectarianism and identifying its three core ingredients: othering, aversion, and moralization. We then consider the causes of political sectarianism and its consequences for U.S. society—especially the threat it poses to democracy. Finally, we propose interventions for minimizing its most corrosive aspects.
TL;DR: Pandemic politics highlight how predictions need to be transparent and humble to invite insight, not blame.
Abstract: Pandemic politics highlight how predictions need to be transparent and humble to invite insight, not blame Pandemic politics highlight how predictions need to be transparent and humble to invite insight, not blame
TL;DR: A research agenda to address the COVID-19 pandemic that takes politics as a serious focus can enable the development of more realistic, sustainable interventions in policies and shape the broader understanding of the politics of public health.
Abstract: COVID-19 has created a ramifying public health, economic, and political crisis throughout many countries in the world While globally the pandemic is at different stages and far from under control in some countries, now is the time for public health researchers and political scientists to start understanding how and why governments responded the way they have, explore how effective these responses appear to be, and what lessons we can draw about effective public health policymaking in preparation of the next wave of COVID-19 or the next infectious disease pandemic We argue that there will be no way to understand the different responses to COVID-19 and their effects without understanding policy and politics We propose four key focuses to understand the reasons for COVID-19 responses: social policies to crisis management as well as recovery, regime type (democracy or autocracy), formal political institutions (federalism, presidentialism), and state capacity (control over health care systems and public administration) A research agenda to address the COVID-19 pandemic that takes politics as a serious focus can enable the development of more realistic, sustainable interventions in policies and shape our broader understanding of the politics of public health
Book•
03 Sep 2020
TL;DR: The social revolution for women's rights has made great progress in recent years. But how many casual observers - or advocates, for that matter - are aware that the roots of this movement extend deep into Western history? Even before launching the great campaign to attain universal suffrage, strong female voices spoke in favour of social, political, educational, and economic rights of women as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: The social revolution for women's rights has made great progress in recent years. But how many casual observers - or advocates, for that matter - are aware that the roots of this movement extend deep into Western history? Even before launching the great campaign to attain universal suffrage, strong female voices spoke in favour of the social, political, educational, and economic rights of women. "A Vindication of the Rights of Women", published in the late eighteenth century, is truly a classic in this venerable tradition. Railing against the stubborn social forces that confined women to an inferior station in the community, Mary Wollstonecraft declares war on the prevailing attitudes and customs that prevent women from realising their individual potential.
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences1, Norwegian University of Life Sciences2, Queen's University3, London School of Economics and Political Science4, King's College London5, SOAS, University of London6, Lund University7, University of Exeter8, Overseas Development Institute9, Cornell University10, Philippine Institute for Development Studies11, University of Sussex12, University of Leeds13
TL;DR: This article revisited important insights from the social sciences and humanities on the co-production of political economies, cultures, societies and biophysical relations and showed the possibilities for ontological pluralism to open up for new imaginations.
Abstract: Climate change research is at an impasse. The transformation of economies and everyday practices is more urgent, and yet appears ever more daunting as attempts at behaviour change, regulations, and global agreements confront material and social-political infrastructures that support the status quo. Effective action requires new ways of conceptualizing society, climate and environment and yet current research struggles to break free of established categories. In response, this contribution revisits important insights from the social sciences and humanities on the co-production of political economies, cultures, societies and biophysical relations and shows the possibilities for ontological pluralism to open up for new imaginations. Its intention is to help generate a different framing of socionatural change that goes beyond the current science-policy-behavioural change pathway. It puts forward several moments of inadvertent concealment in contemporary debates that stem directly from the way issues are framed and imagined in contemporary discourses. By placing values, normative commitments, and experiential and plural ways of knowing from around the world at the centre of climate knowledge, we confront climate change with contested politics and the everyday foundations of action rather than just data.
TL;DR: This article explores the creation and detection of deepfakes and provides an in-depth view as to how these architectures work and the current trends and advancements in this domain.
Abstract: Generative deep learning algorithms have progressed to a point where it is difficult to tell the difference between what is real and what is fake. In 2018, it was discovered how easy it is to use this technology for unethical and malicious applications, such as the spread of misinformation, impersonation of political leaders, and the defamation of innocent individuals. Since then, these `deepfakes' have advanced significantly.
In this paper, we explore the creation and detection of deepfakes and provide an in-depth view of how these architectures work. The purpose of this survey is to provide the reader with a deeper understanding of (1) how deepfakes are created and detected, (2) the current trends and advancements in this domain, (3) the shortcomings of the current defense solutions, and (4) the areas which require further research and attention.
TL;DR: It is argued that Brazil’s governance of the COVID-19 pandemic can best be described as governance without (central) government, and what this collapse of public health reveals about the limitations of democratic governance in the age of Bolsonaro is reflected.
Abstract: Brazil's governance of the COVID-19 pandemic has been described as nothing short of tragic by several commentators. President Jair Bolsonaro's dangerous brew of neoliberal authoritarianism, science denialism and ableism has plunged this country into catastrophe. In this article we argue that this form (or lack) of public health governance can best be described as governance without (central) government. We begin with an overview of public health governance in the country before introducing the main theoretical concepts that guide our analysis, namely the notions of 'government by exception' and 'strategic ignorance'. Finally, we sketch the main features of this emerging form of (non)governance of COVID-19. We highlight the new forms of solidarity and mutual aid that have emerged in favelas and Indigenous communities, which have stepped in to fill the void left by a limited federal presence. The article concludes by reflecting on what this collapse of public health reveals about the limitations of democratic governance in the age of Bolsonaro.
Book•
31 Jan 2020
TL;DR: The meaning of public administration and the role of government's structure are discussed in this article. But the focus of this paper is not on the specific aspects of government, but rather on the whole of government.
Abstract: 1. Accountability PART I: The Job of Government 2. What Government Does-And How It Does It 3. The Meaning of Public Administration PART II: Organizational Theory and the Role of Government's Structure 4. Organizational Theory 5. The Executive Branch 6. Organization Problems 7. Administrative Reform PART III: People in Government Organizations 8. The Civil Service 9. Human Capital PART IV: Making and Implementing Government Decisions 10. Decision Making 11. Budgeting 12. Implementation PART V: Administration in a Democracy 13. Regulation and the Courts 14. Executive Power and Political Accountability
TL;DR: A self-made web crawl engine was used to scan and collect official media news related to COVID-19 between the beginning of January and April 4, yielding a comprehensive dataset of 14,952 news items.
Abstract: Having geographical proximity and a high volume of trade with China, the first country to record an outbreak of the new Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), Vietnam was expected to have a high risk of transmission. However, as of 4 April 2020, in comparison to attempts to containing the disease around the world, responses from Vietnam are seen as prompt and effective in protecting the interests of its citizens, with 239 confirmed cases and no fatalities. This study analyzes the situation in terms of Vietnam’s policy response, social media and science journalism. A self-made web crawl engine was used to scan and collect official media news related to COVID-19 between the beginning of January and April 4, yielding a comprehensive dataset of 14,952 news items. The findings shed light on how Vietnam—despite being under-resourced—has demonstrated political readiness to combat the emerging pandemic since the earliest days. Timely communication on any developments of the outbreak from the government and the media, combined with up-to-date research on the new virus by the Vietnamese science community, have altogether provided reliable sources of information. By emphasizing the need for immediate and genuine cooperation between government, civil society and private individuals, the case study offers valuable lessons for other nations concerning not only the concurrent fight against the COVID-19 pandemic but also the overall responses to a public health crisis.
TL;DR: The English pub has undergone a number of transformations in its lifetime already, and there is no reason to think that it won't go through many more as discussed by the authors, and the ultimate fate of the English pub is uncertain.
Abstract: complicating this relationship. Well-paced and clearly organized, Lane’s work stays within a neat pocket and succeeds in its goals. The ultimate fate of the English pub is uncertain. But as Lane’s historical perspective tells us, as much as we like to romanticize the ‘‘traditional’’ English pub, it has undergone a number of transformations in its lifetime already, and there is no reason to think that it won’t go through many more. The gastropub is the institution’s current evolution for today’s cultural and economic landscape. However, the exclusion of working-class and low-income groups (not to mention racial minorities and immigrants) from public social life in England (and anywhere, really) remains a topic of crucial importance.
TL;DR: The long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to trigger more permanent changes connected to the digitalization of work and other daily activities, thus reducing mobility needs and overall fossil-energy consumption.
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic is a major landscape shock that is having pervasive effects across socio-technical systems Due to its recentness, sustainability scientists and other researchers have only started to investigate the implications of this crisis The COVID-19 outbreak presents a unique opportunity to analyze in real time the effects of a protracted landscape-scale perturbation on the trajectories of sustainability transitions In this perspective, we explore the ramifications for sustainability transition research on electricity and mobility, drawing from selected examples in Finland and Sweden The long-term consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic are likely to trigger more permanent changes connected to the digitalization of work and other daily activities, thus reducing mobility needs and overall fossil-energy consumption The crisis may encourage governance systems to be better prepared for different types of shocks in the future, while it also contains a threat of increasingly populist or undemocratic political responses and increased securitization These developments can guide research by addressing the reproduction of new practices arising from the COVID-19 outbreak to accelerate sustainability transitions, enhancing understanding of the role of governance in transitions, and bringing to attention the ethical and political implications of landscape shocks
TL;DR: The authors examined selective reading of political online information based on cognitive dissonance, social identity, and news values frameworks and found that online reports were displayed to 156 Americans while selec...
Abstract: Selective reading of political online information was examined based on cognitive dissonance, social identity, and news values frameworks. Online reports were displayed to 156 Americans while selec...
Book•
30 May 2020
TL;DR: Helle as mentioned in this paper presents the Geography and Prehistory of Scandinavia: 1 The Scandinavian landscape and its resources Ulf Sporrong 2 The Stone and Bronze Ages Ari Siiriainen 3 The Iron Age Bjorn Myhre 4 Languages and ethnic groups Michael Barnes Part II From Vikings to Kings: 5 The Viking expansion Peter Sawyer 6 Viking culture Else Roesdahl and Preben Meulengracht-Sorensen 7 Scandinavia enters Christian Europe Birgit Sawyer and Peter Sawyer 8 Early political organisation 8(a) Introductory survey Thomas Lindkv
Abstract: Introduction Knut Helle Part I The Geography and Prehistory of Scandinavia: 1 The Scandinavian landscape and its resources Ulf Sporrong 2 The Stone and Bronze Ages Ari Siiriainen 3 The Iron Age Bjorn Myhre 4 Languages and ethnic groups Michael Barnes Part II From Vikings to Kings: 5 The Viking expansion Peter Sawyer 6 Viking culture Else Roesdahl and Preben Meulengracht-Sorensen 7 Scandinavia enters Christian Europe Birgit Sawyer and Peter Sawyer 8 Early political organisation 8(a) Introductory survey Thomas Lindkvist 8(b) The making of the Danish kingdom Inge Skovgaard-Petersen 8(c) The early unification of Norway Claus Krag 8(d) The Norse communities of the western ocean Magnus Stefansson 8(e) Kings and provinces in Sweden Thomas Lindkvist Part III Material Growth (to c 1350): 9 Demographic conditions Ole Jorgen Benedictow 10 Rural conditions Eljas Orrman 11 Urbanisation Hans Andersson Part IV The High Medieval Kingdoms: 12 Towards nationally organised systems of government 12(a) Introductory Survey Knut Helle 12(b) The Danish kingdom consolidation and disintegration Inge Skovgaard-Petersen 12(c) The Norwegian kingdom: succession disputes and consolidation Knut Helle 12(d) Sweden under the dynasty of the Folkungs Herman Schuck 12(e) Growing inter-Scandinavian entanglement Knut Helle 13 Church and Society Eljas Orrman Part V High and Late Medieval Culture: 14 Ideologies and mentalities Sverre Bagge 15 Literature Lars Lonnroth, Vesteinn Olason and Anders Piltz 16 Art and architecture Anna Nilsen 17 Music Ingrid De Geer Part VI Late Medieval Society: 18 Population and settlement Jouko Vahtola 19 The condition of the rural population Eljas Orrman 20 The towns Goran Dahlback 21 The nobility of the late Middle Ages Erik Ulsig 22 Church and clergy Lars Hamre Part VII Scandinavian Unions (1319-1520): 23 The political system Herman Schuck 24 Inter-Scandinavian relations Jens E Olesen Conclusion Knut Helle Bibliography Index
TL;DR: The epidemiological models show that across 8 countries a further week long delay in imposing lockdown would likely have cost more than half a million lives, and those countries which acted more promptly saved substantially more lives than those that delayed.
Abstract: Coronavirus has claimed the lives of over half a million people world-wide and this death toll continues to rise rapidly each day. In the absence of a vaccine, non-clinical preventative measures have been implemented as the principal means of limiting deaths. However, these measures have caused unprecedented disruption to daily lives and economic activity. Given this developing crisis, the potential for a second wave of infections and the near certainty of future pandemics, lessons need to be rapidly gleaned from the available data. We address the challenges of cross-country comparisons by allowing for differences in reporting and variation in underlying socio-economic conditions between countries. Our analyses show that, to date, differences in policy interventions have out-weighed socio-economic variation in explaining the range of death rates observed in the data. Our epidemiological models show that across 8 countries a further week long delay in imposing lockdown would likely have cost more than half a million lives. Furthermore, those countries which acted more promptly saved substantially more lives than those that delayed. Linking decisions over the timing of lockdown and consequent deaths to economic data, we reveal the costs that national governments were implicitly prepared to pay to protect their citizens as reflected in the economic activity foregone to save lives. These 'price of life' estimates vary enormously between countries, ranging from as low as around $100,000 (e.g. the UK, US and Italy) to in excess of $1million (e.g. Denmark, Germany, New Zealand and Korea). The lowest estimates are further reduced once we correct for under-reporting of Covid-19 deaths.
TL;DR: The reality of urban informality is changing across the Global South, with implications for how we understand this phenomenon across economic, spatial, and political domains as mentioned in this paper. But, as discussed in Section 2.
Abstract: Across the Global South, the realities of urban informality are changing, with implications for how we understand this phenomenon across economic, spatial, and political domains. Recent accounts ha...
TL;DR: Cheibub et al. as discussed by the authors provided an update and expansion of the Democracy-Dictatorship data by adding three features: first, they expand coverage to a total of 192 sovereign countries and 16 currently self-governing territories between 1950 and 2018, including periods under colonial rule for more than ninety entities.
Abstract: Social scientists have created a variety of datasets in recent years that quantify political regimes, but these often provide little data on phases of regime transitions. Our aim is to contribute to filling this gap, by providing an update and expansion of the Democracy-Dictatorship data by Cheibub et al. (Public Choice, 143, 67–101, 2010), originally introduced by Alvarez et al. (Studies in Comparative International Development, 31(2), 3–36, 1996), where we add the following three features: First, we expand coverage to a total of 192 sovereign countries and 16 currently self-governing territories between 1950 and 2018, including periods under colonial rule for more than ninety entities. Second, we provide more institutional details that are deemed of importance in the relevant literature. Third, we include a new, self-created indicator of successful and failed coups d’etat, which is currently the most complete of its kind. We further illustrate the usefulness of the new dataset by documenting the importance of political institutions under colonial rule for democratic development after independence, making use of our much more detailed data on colonial institutions. Findings indicate that more participatory colonial institutions have a positive and lasting effect for democratic development after transition to independence.