This book demonstrates that people's basic values and beliefs are changing, in ways that affect their political, sexual, economic, and religious behavior. These changes are roughly predictable because they can be interpreted on the basis of a revised version of modernization theory presented here. Drawing on a massive body of evidence from societies containing 85% of the world's population, the authors demonstrate that modernization is a process of human development, in which economic development triggers cultural changes that make individual autonomy, gender equality, and democracy...

This book demonstrates that people's basic values and beliefs are changing, in ways that affect their political, sexual, economic, and religious behavior. These changes are roughly predictable because they can be interpreted on the basis of a revised version of modernization theory presented here. Drawing on a massive body of evidence from societies containing 85% of the world's population, the authors demonstrate that modernization is a process of human development, in which economic development triggers cultural changes that make individual autonomy, gender equality, and democracy...

Die vorliegende Studie ist die gekurzte Fassung meiner Dissertationsschrift, die an der Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftlichen Fakultat der Universitat Potsdam im November 1996 angenommen wurde. Sie entstand aus der von der Deutschen Forschungsgemeinschaft finanzierten Potsdamer Elitenstudie, an der ich von der Entstehung der Projektidee bis zur Verlegung des Ab schlussberichts mitwirken konnte. Die Arbeit behandelt im Schwerpunkt die politischen Ordnungspraferen zen ehemaliger DDR-Burger in der bundesdeutschen Elite (hinfort: Ostelite) und bezieht sie systematisch auf deren...

This book presents a comprehensive theory of why human freedom gave way to increasing oppression since the invention of states and why this trend began to reverse itself more recently, leading to a rapid expansion of universal freedoms and democracy. Drawing on a massive body of evidence, the author tests various explanations of the rise of freedom, providing convincing support of a well-reasoned theory of emancipation. The study demonstrates multiple trends toward human empowerment, which converge to give people control over their lives. Most important among these trends is the spread of...

This book presents a comprehensive theory of why human freedom gave way to increasing oppression since the invention of states and why this trend began to reverse itself more recently, leading to a rapid expansion of universal freedoms and democracy. Drawing on a massive body of evidence, the author tests various explanations of the rise of freedom, providing convincing support of a well-reasoned theory of emancipation. The study demonstrates multiple trends toward human empowerment, which converge to give people control over their lives. Most important among these trends is the spread of...

Der Bedarf an der Demokratiemessung ist in der vergleichenden Politikwissenschaft in den letzten Jahren merklich gestiegen. Doch zugleich wurde in vielen demokratietheoretischen Debatten der Aspekt der Operationalisierung der vorgeschlagenen Demokratiemodelle zu stark vernachlassigt. Weder wurde stets eine empirische Uberprufung angestrebt, noch konnte die allgemeine Frage: "Wie demokratisch ist ein bestimmtes politisches System?" angemessen behandelt werden. Die rasch wachsende Zahl von verschiedenen Konzepten zur Demokratiemessung bedarf ihrerseits einer tieferen theoretischen und...