………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… THE PPOLITICAL CCULTURE OF DDEMOCRACY IN GGUYANA: 22000066 ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… … By: Mark Bynoe, Ph.D. Director, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Guyana Talia Choy, Head, Department of Governance and International Affairs, University of Guyana With the help of: Professor Clive Thomas, Ph.D., Director, Institute of Development Studies, University of Guyana Mr. Marlon Bristol, Researcher, Institute of Development Studies, University of Guyana Mr. Clement Henry, Administrative, Assistant, Faculty of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Guyana Mitchell A. Seligson, Ph.D., Scientific Coordinator and Editor of the Series, Vanderbilt University UNIVERSITY OF GUYANA ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… June, 2007 The Political Culture of Democracy in Guyana: 2006 Table of Contents List of Figures ....................................................................................................................................... v List of Tables ...................................................................................................................................... vii Acronyms ............................................................................................................................................. ix Preface .................................................................................................................................................. xi Prologue .............................................................................................................................................xiii Specific Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................. xix Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................... xx I. Background and Contextual Framework ............................................................................. 1 Physical Geography and Social Evolution .................................................................................. 1 The Local Government System of Guyana ................................................................................. 2 Socio-Economic Evolution ......................................................................................................... 6 Political Organization ............................................................................................................... 13 Historical Political Evolution .................................................................................................... 17 Recent Political Evolution ........................................................................................................ 21 Recent Studies in Political Culture ........................................................................................... 21 References ................................................................................................................................. 22 Appendix I-1: Socio-Economic Statistics ............................................................................ 25 Appendix I-2: Graphs of Socio-Economic Variables ........................................................... 27 Appendix I-3: Supplementary Data ...................................................................................... 29 II. Methodology of the Study ..................................................................................................... 31 Sample Design .......................................................................................................................... 31 Overview of the Sample ............................................................................................................ 34 References ................................................................................................................................. 38 III. Alternative Conceptions of Democracy and Different Analytical Dimensions of Democracy .......................................................................................................................................... 39 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 44 References ................................................................................................................................. 45 Annex ........................................................................................................................................ 46 IV. Support for a Stable Democracy .......................................................................................... 47 Political Tolerance .................................................................................................................... 48 Social Tolerance ........................................................................................................................ 53 Comparative Analysis of Social Tolerance ............................................................................... 54 Support for the Political System ............................................................................................... 55 Institutional Trust ...................................................................................................................... 59 Support for a Stable Democracy ............................................................................................... 61 Comparative Perspective on Support for a Stable Democracy ................................................. 63 Conclusion ................................................................................................................................ 64 References ................................................................................................................................. 65 Annex ........................................................................................................................................ 67 V. Corruption and Democracy in Guyana ............................................................................... 69 Justification in the Paying of Bribes ......................................................................................... 71 Corruption Victimization .......................................................................................................... 76 Corruption Victimization and its Impact on Justification of Corruption .................................. 80 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 84 References ................................................................................................................................. 85 Annex ........................................................................................................................................ 86 iii The Political Culture of Democracy in Guyana: 2006 VI. Crime Victimization and the Rule of Law .......................................................................... 87 Victims of Crime: A Comparative Perspective ........................................................................ 88 Types of Crime Victimization that Occurred in Guyana in 2006 ............................................. 89 Trust in Institutions of the Justice System ................................................................................ 93 Trust in the Justice system in Comparative Perspective ........................................................... 96 Preoccupation with Personal Security in Neighborhood .......................................................... 98 Crime as a Threat to Future Well-Being in Guyana ................................................................. 99 Effects of Victimization and Respect for Due Process ........................................................... 100 Do Conceptualizations of Democracy Affect Respect for Due Process? ............................... 102 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 103 References ............................................................................................................................... 104 Annex ...................................................................................................................................... 105 VII. Local Government ............................................................................................................... 107 Requests for Help from Various Levels of Government ........................................................ 109 Determinants of Citizens’ Request for Help from the Local Government ......................... 112 Participation in Local Government ......................................................................................... 113 Comparative Analysis of Local Participation Elaborate ..................................................... 115 Determinants of Citizens Participation in Local Government Meetings ............................ 116 Responsiveness, Respect and Quality of Local Services ........................................................ 117 Guyanese Views of Municipal Service Quality in Comparative Terms ............................. 121 Citizens’ Views of