Abstract
An early debate in the empirical study of political democracy concerned the measurement of democracy. Initial work employed dichotomous indicators and incorporated stability into political democracy measures. Evidence accumulated showing that this approach could adversely affect analyses, particularly in the study of income inequality. Despite this, some recent studies have renewed the flawed practices. We draw upon recent work to highlight the confusion that can result when democracy and stability are confounded and the problems with dichotomous indicators. We propose that stability is analytically distinct from political democracy and should be treated as such empirically, and we suggest ways to estimate incremental effects of political democracy. We further argue that political democracy is continuous and that measures of it should reflect this. It is important that the measurement history of this construct not repeat itself.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
