scholarly journals Conceptualizing and Measuring the Quality of Democracy: The Citizens’ Perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-32 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dieter Fuchs ◽  
Edeltraud Roller
Keyword(s):  
Direct Democracy ◽  
Subjective Quality ◽  
Liberal Democracies ◽  
Quality Of Democracy ◽  
Objective Measurements ◽  
Objective Quality ◽  
Instrument Measuring ◽  
Normative Models ◽  
Models Of Democracy

In recent years, several measurements of the quality of democracy have been developed (e.g. Democracy Barometer, Varieties of Democracy Project). These objective measurements focus on institutional and procedural characteristics of democracy. This article starts from the premise that in order to fully understand the quality of democracy such objective measurements have to be complemented by subjective measurements based on the perspective of citizens. The aim of the article is to conceptualize and measure the subjective quality of democracy. First, a conceptualization of the subjective quality of democracy is developed consisting of citizens’ support for three normative models of democracy (electoral, liberal, and direct democracy). Second, based on the World Values Survey 2005–2007, an instrument measuring these different dimensions of the subjective quality of democracy is suggested. Third, distributions for different models of democracy are presented for some European and non-European liberal democracies. They reveal significant differences regarding the subjective quality of democracies. Fourth, the subjective quality of democracy of these countries is compared with the objective quality of democracy based on three indices (electoral democracy, liberal democracy and direct popular vote) developed by the Varieties of Democracy (V-Dem) Project. Finally, further research questions are discussed.

scholarly journals Does direct democracy increase communicative responsiveness? A field experiment with Swiss politicians

2017 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 205316801770073 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anouk Lloren
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiment ◽  
Direct Democracy ◽  
State Legislators ◽  
Policy Outcomes ◽  
Popular Belief ◽  
Quality Of Democracy

Many argue that direct democracy improves the quality of democracy. In particular, many scholars claim that it increases the representation of the public’s preferences by fostering communicative responsiveness between politicians and citizens. While studies have come to mixed conclusions about the effect of direct democracy on policy outcomes, little is known about how direct democratic processes affect politicians’ responsiveness. Using a field experiment, this study examines whether direct democracy increases the responsiveness of Swiss state legislators to citizen-initiated contacts on policy concerns. Contrary to popular belief, our results show that direct democracy does not enhance politicians’ responsiveness to policy requests.

scholarly journals JUSTIFYING LIBERAL RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE: PUNISHMENT, CRIMINALIZATION, AND HOLISTIC RETRIBUTIVISM

2015 ◽  
Vol 56 (132) ◽  
pp. 495-520
Author(s):  
Alfonso Donoso
Keyword(s):  
Retributive Justice ◽  
Liberal Democracies ◽  
Normative Models ◽  
Models Of Democracy ◽  
The Ideal

ABSTRACT In this article I explore whether liberal retributive justice should be conceived of either individualistically or holistically. I critically examine the individualistic account of retributive justice and suggest that the question of retribution – i.e., whether and when punishment of an individual is compatible with just treatment of that individual – must be answered holistically. By resorting to the ideal of sensitive reasons, a model of legitimacy at the basis of our best normative models of democracy, the article argues that in modern liberal democracies, punishment of an offender A for f is compatible with just treatment of A only if punishment of an individual for f can be legitimate in A's and A's fellow citizens' eyes. Only once retributive justice is understood in this holistic fashion the imposition of punishment can be made compatible with just treatment of individuals.

scholarly journals Evaluation of Two Growing Systems for Cut Snapdragon Production: Tray vs. Ground Bed

HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-27
Author(s):  
K. Jacquemin Sullivan ◽  
C.C. Pasian
Keyword(s):  
Quality Indicator ◽  
Shoot Length ◽  
Subjective Quality ◽  
Antirrhinum Majus ◽  
Cut Flower ◽  
Cut Flowers ◽  
Flower Production ◽  
Objective Quality ◽  
Flower Quality

Cut-flower production of three snapdragon (Antirrhinum majus L.) cultivars (`Potomac Pink', `Winter White', and `Potomac Light Pink') in growing trays vs. ground beds was evaluated in five different plantings over a period of a year and a half. The experiments evaluated the quality of cut flowers from plants in ground beds or in small vs. large trays either raised or placed directly on the ground bed. The quality of flowering shoots was lower when plants were grown in raised trays rather than in on-ground trays or in ground beds, but other treatments did not affect quality consistently. Flowering shoot grade (a subjective quality indicator) correlated well (r = 0.8) with the ratio of shoot dryweight to shoot length (an objective quality indicator). Our results confirm that the flower quality of snapdragons grown on ground trays can equal that of those grown in ground beds.

Human rights referendum: Dissonance between ‘the will of the people’ and fundamental rights?

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 115-133
Author(s):  
Ignatius Yordan Nugraha
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
Citizen Participation ◽  
Direct Democracy ◽  
Fundamental Rights ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Human Rights Law ◽  
Quality Of Democracy ◽  
The People ◽  
The Will

Referendums and popular initiatives have proliferated in many parts of the world as part of the effort to improve the quality of democracy and enhance citizen participation in policy making. However, even before the surge of populist nationalism in the 2010s, referendums have become a sort of weapon to restrict various rights. Furthermore, the juxtaposition between ‘the will of the people’ and human rights has once again brought back the classical criticism against direct democracy that it constitutes ‘a tyranny of the majority’ that could erode minority rights. With these concerns in mind, this paper is written to analyse the dissonance between human rights referendums and international human rights law through a positivist lens. The overall goal is to determine whether States have an ex ante obligation to prevent a referendum on a subject matter that is contrary to human rights.

Elity pod presją negatywnych emocji

2021 ◽  
Vol 65 (3) ◽  
pp. 3-25
Author(s):  
Ewa Nalewajko
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Context ◽  
Social Bonds ◽  
Public Debate ◽  
Social Emotions ◽  
Liberal Democracies ◽  
Quality Of Democracy ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Social

The aim of the article is to reflect on the phenomenon of populist resentment towards elites in contemporary liberal democracies. This form of resentment is claimed to lower the quality of democracy, both in regard to its procedures and social bonds, thus deepening the crisis of the system. One of the paper’s aims is to explore this phenomenon as a structure composed of negative social emotions. This part of the analysis is conceptual and theoretical in character. The article then considers the dynamics and mechanisms of the resentment against elites. In this part of the text, the phenomenon is viewed through the lens of the social and cultural context in which it is rooted, as well as from the perspective of individual experiences. Because instances of social resentment manifest themselves mainly in words, this is illustrated using examples from the public debate in Poland regarding elites. The paper concludes with two hypotheses formulated with respect to the multilevel and multidimensional character of this form of resentment.

scholarly journals Point Cloud Coding Solutions, Subjective Assessment and Objective Measures: A Case Study

Symmetry ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 1955
Author(s):  
Emil Dumic ◽  
Luis A. da Silva Cruz
Keyword(s):  
Point Cloud ◽  
Point Clouds ◽  
Quality Measures ◽  
Subjective Assessment ◽  
Subjective Quality ◽  
Point Cloud Data ◽  
Cloud Data ◽  
Objective Quality

This paper presents a summary of recent progress in compression, subjective assessment and objective quality measures of point cloud representations of three dimensional visual information. Different existing point cloud datasets, as well as discusses the protocols that have been proposed to evaluate the subjective quality of point cloud data. Several geometry and attribute point cloud data objective quality measures are also presented and described. A case study on the evaluation of subjective quality of point clouds in two laboratories is presented. Six original point clouds degraded with G-PCC and V-PCC point cloud compression and five degradation levels were subjectively evaluated, showing high inter-laboratory correlation. Furthermore, performance of several geometry-based objective quality measures applied to the same data are described, concluding that the highest correlation with subjective scores is obtained using point-to-plane measures. Finally, several current challenges and future research directions on point clouds compression and quality evaluation are discussed.

A Psychometric Study of the Quality Perception Questionnaire

2012 ◽  
Vol 71 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Raffaele Cioffi† ◽  
Anna Coluccia ◽  
Fabio Ferretti ◽  
Francesca Lorini ◽  
Aristide Saggino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Factor Model ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Fit Indices ◽  
Quality Perception ◽  
Italian Survey ◽  
Confirmatory Factor ◽  
Instrument Measuring ◽  
Hospital Structures

The present paper reexamines the psychometric properties of the Quality Perception Questionnaire (QPQ), an Italian survey instrument measuring patients’ perceptions of the quality of a recent hospital admission experience, in a sample of 4400 patients (Mage = 56.42 years; SD = 19.71 years, 48.8% females). The 14-item survey measures four factors: satisfaction with medical doctors, nursing staff, auxiliary staff, and hospital structures. First, we tested two models using a confirmatory factor analysis (structural equation modeling): a four orthogonal factor and a four oblique factor model. The SEM fit indices and the χ² difference suggested the acceptance of the second model. We then did a simulation using a bootstrap with 1000 replications. Results confirmed the four oblique factor solution. Third, we tested whether there were significant differences with respect to age or sex. The multivariate general linear model showed no significant differences in the factors with respect to sex or age.

Manajemen Ekonomi Outopilot: Kegagalan Negara Mencari Identitas?

Liquidity ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 142-152
Author(s):  
Mukhaer Pakkanna
Keyword(s):  
Economic Development ◽  
National Economy ◽  
The State ◽  
Political Democracy ◽  
Economic Democracy ◽  
Quality Of Democracy ◽  
Economic Disparities ◽  
National Economic ◽  
Production And Distribution

Political democracy should be equivalent to the economic development of the quality of democracy, economic democracy if not upright, even the owner of the ruling power and money, which is parallel to force global corporatocracy. Consequently, the economic oligarchy preservation reinforces control of production and distribution from upstream to downstream and power monopoly of the market. The implication, increasingly sharp economic disparities, exclusive owner of the money and power become fertile, and the end could jeopardize the harmony of the national economy. The loss of national economic identity that makes people feel lost the “pilot of the state”. What happens then is the autopilot state. Viewing unclear direction of the economy, the national economy should clarify the true figure.

Feasibility and Clinical Implications of Remotely Guided Ultrasound Examinations

2020 ◽  
Vol 91 (7) ◽  
pp. 592-596
Author(s):  
Quinn Dufurrena ◽  
Kazi Imran Ullah ◽  
Erin Taub ◽  
Connor Leszczuk ◽  
Sahar Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Utility ◽  
Regional Wall Motion ◽  
Subjective Assessment ◽  
Clinical Implications ◽  
Pilot Studies ◽  
Objective Quality ◽  
The Us ◽  
Regional Wall Motion Abnormalities ◽  
Wall Motion Abnormalities

BACKGROUND: Remotely guided ultrasound (US) examinations carried out by nonmedical personnel (novices) have been shown to produce clinically useful examinations, at least in small pilot studies. Comparison of the quality of such exams to those carried out by trained medical professionals is lacking in the literature. This study compared the objective quality and clinical utility of cardiac and pulmonary US examinations carried out by novices and trained physicians.METHODS: Cardiac and pulmonary US examinations were carried out by novices under remote guidance by an US expert and independently by US trained physicians. Exams were blindly evaluated by US experts for both a task-based objective score as well as a subjective assessment of clinical utility.RESULTS: Participating in the study were 16 novices and 9 physicians. Novices took longer to complete the US exams (median 641.5 s vs. 256 s). For the objective component, novices scored higher in exams evaluating for pneumothorax (100% vs. 87.5%). For the subjective component, novices more often obtained clinically useful exams in the assessment of cardiac regional wall motion abnormalities (56.3% vs. 11.1%). No other comparisons yielded statistically significant differences between the two groups. Both groups had generally higher scores for pulmonary examinations compared to cardiac. There was variability in the quality of exams carried out by novices depending on their expert guide.CONCLUSION: Remotely guided novices are able to carry out cardiac and pulmonary US examinations with similar, if not better, technical proficiency and clinical utility as US trained physicians, though they take longer to do so.Dufurrena Q, Ullah KI, Taub E, Leszczuk C, Ahmad S. Feasibility and clinical implications of remotely guided ultrasound examinations. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2020; 91(7):592–596.

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