A Sequential Model of Political Development

Political scientists have identified five "crises" that nation's generally go through in sequence as they develop:

1) IDENTITY:
People develop a national identity over and above their local, regional, tribal, etc. identities. People come to think of themselves, for example, as Germans rather than Bavarians, Americans rather than Southerners, etc.


2) LEGITIMACY
People begin to feel that the regime's rule is right (or justified) and should be obeyed. As system legitimacy increases the need for coercion to keep the country together decreases.


3) PENETRATION
As the central government expands it power throughout the country it encounters resistance since many see the central government as distant and far away. Local rebellions are crushed and force brought in to enforce national authority.


4) PARTICIPATION
After the first three are accomplished, people begin to want to participate in the governance of their nation. There is usually a struggle to expand the electoral franchise. Parties are formed and attempt to control government. While most countries begin with dominant elites, once mass participation is established (AND institutionalized) countries usually become more stable.


5) DISTRIBUTION
This is probably a permanent crisis--and is over the country's economic "pie". With a central government dominating resources, once parties represent all of the interests in society, people begin to see parties as one of the keys to the distribution of things of value (remember the definition of politics!!!) .


Not all countries are fortunate enough to have developed in this sequential fashion. Many countries in the "Third World", for example, have not developed in this fashion. As a result, system breakdowns often occur.