Consociationalism (/kənˌsoʊʃiˈeɪʃənəlɪzəm/kən-SOH-shee-AY-shən-əl-iz-əm) is a form of democratic power sharing.[1] Political scientists define a consociational state as one which has major internal divisions along ethnic, religious, or linguistic lines, but which remains stable due to consultation among the elites of these groups. Consociational states are often contrasted with states with majoritarian electoral systems.
The goals of consociationalism are governmental stability, the survival of the power-sharing arrangements, the survival of democracy, and the avoidance of violence. When consociationalism is organised along religious confessional lines, as in Lebanon, it is known as confessionalism.
Consociationalism is sometimes seen as analogous to corporatism.[2][3] Some scholars consider consociationalism a form of corporatism. Others claim that economic corporatism was designed to regulate class conflict, while consociationalism developed on the basis of reconciling societal fragmentation along ethnic and religious lines.[4]
Concurrent majority can be a precursor to consociationalism. A consociational democracy differs from consensus democracy (e.g. in Switzerland), in that consociational democracy represents a consensus of representatives with minority veto, while consensus democracy requires consensus across the electorate.[5]
The idea has received significant criticism in its applicability to democratic political systems, especially with regard to power-sharing.
^O'Leary, Brendan (2005). "Debating consociational politics: Normative and explanatory arguments". In Noel, Sid JR (ed.). From Power Sharing to Democracy: Post-Conflict Institutions in Ethnically Divided Societies. Montreal: McGill-Queen's Press. pp. 3–43. ISBN 0-7735-2948-9.
^McRae, Kenneth D. (September 1979). "Comment: Federation, Consociation, Corporatism—An Addendum to Arend Lijphart". Canadian Journal of Political Science. 12 (3): 517–522 at 520. doi:10.1017/S0008423900051726. ISSN 0008-4239. S2CID 154995368. … federalism, consociationalism, and neo-corporatism can be viewed as alternative institutional devices for alleviating strain or overload on central governments and for distributing part of the burden among other sectors of the political system.
^du Toit, Pierre (July 1987). "Consociational Democracy and Bargaining Power". Comparative Politics. 19 (4): 419–430 at 425. doi:10.2307/421815. JSTOR 421815. While consociational democracy applies to joint decision making among societal groups, neither of which has a dominant power position, corporatism (especially 'state' corporatism) describes a decision making model where the state is the dominant participant in joint decision making. Both models, however, describe the decision making as characterized by consensus and bargaining.
^Anke Hassel (2006). Wage setting, Social Pacts and the Euro: A New Role for the State. Amsterdam, Netherlands: Amsterdam University Press. p. 281. ISBN 9789053569191. JSTOR j.ctt46mxdx. (Open access)
^Howe, Philip J. (2019). "The United States as a Plural Society: Towards a Consociational Solution?". Swiss Political Science Review. 25 (4): 476–497. doi:10.1111/spsr.12363.
violence. When consociationalism is organised along religious confessional lines, as in Lebanon, it is known as confessionalism. Consociationalism is sometimes...
of consociationalism by Donald L.Horowitz. Both models aim to provide institutional prescriptions for divided societies. While consociationalism aims...
scientists and policy analysts have condemned consociationalism. One of the many critiques is that consociationalism locks in ethnic tensions and identities...
of consociationalism by Donald L. Horowitz. Both models aim to provide institutional prescriptions for divided societies. While consociationalism aims...
cantons that culminated in the Sonderbundskrieg, consciously defines a consociational state, allowing the peaceful co-existence of Catholics and Protestants...
Arend. 2018. "Consociationalism After Half a Century," pp. 1–9, in Michaelina Jakala, Durukan Kuzu, and Matt Qvortrup (eds.). Consociationalism and Power-Sharing...
parliamentary democracy since 1848. The Netherlands is described as a consociational state. Dutch politics and governance are characterised by an effort...
within the entities. Sumantra Bose describes Bosnia and Herzegovina as a consociational confederation. The Brčko District in the north of the country was created...
state Legal jurisdiction United Kingdom Northern Ireland Government Consociational devolved legislature within unitary constitutional monarchy • Monarch...
Detribalization Neo-Tribalism Urheimat White ethnic Multiethnic society Consociationalism Cultural appropriation Diaspora politics Dominant minority Ethnic...
modern jury selection and citizens' assemblies. Consociational democracy, also called consociationalism, is a form of democracy based on power-sharing...
decentralised unitary state. The Netherlands can be described as a consociational state. Dutch politics and governance are characterised by a common striving...
movement demanding Indian autonomy. Scholars cite this as an example of a consociational practice in Indian politics. Bal Gangadhar Tilak represented the Congress...
the Apostle Salazar Spann Tönnies Vargas Weaver Related articles Consociationalism Fascism Gemeinschaft and Gesellschaft Guild Guild socialism Political...
ethnic groups. It was administered under strict terms of sanctioned consociationalism, known locally as "ethnic key" or "national key" (Serbo-Croatian:...
conflict as soon as military forces left. Consociational Democracy – The Dayton Agreement established a consociational democracy in Bosnia and Herzegovina....
Detribalization Neo-Tribalism Urheimat White ethnic Multiethnic society Consociationalism Cultural appropriation Diaspora politics Dominant minority Ethnic...
inequality Equality Party (disambiguation), several political parties Consociationalism, in which an ethnically, religiously, or linguistically divided state...
that democracy is achieved by European countries with the help of Consociationalism, and that there is fulfillment of the requirements and demands of...
in hyper-diverse, plural societies. The technical term for it is a ‘consociational’ conception of democracy and it represents an alternative to multiculturalism...
Lisbon. The system is known as qualified majority voting is a type of consociational democracy. Article 16 of the Treaty on European Union, as amended by...
Dayton Agreement that ended the Bosnian war in 1995 is an example of consociationalism, as representation is by elites who represent the country's three...
Detribalization Neo-Tribalism Urheimat White ethnic Multiethnic society Consociationalism Cultural appropriation Diaspora politics Dominant minority Ethnic...
Detribalization Neo-Tribalism Urheimat White ethnic Multiethnic society Consociationalism Cultural appropriation Diaspora politics Dominant minority Ethnic...
politics and the Northern Ireland conflict. He has been critical of consociationalism as a strategy of conflict management. Whilst at the New School for...
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