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Participation and Democracy: Dynamics, Causes ... - Jacobs University

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Figure 7-1: Elite-Challenging Activities <strong>and</strong> Membership in Associations (ESS 2002)<br />

80<br />

70<br />

Sweden<br />

Elite-challenging activities, in %<br />

60<br />

50<br />

40<br />

30<br />

Spain<br />

Israel<br />

UK<br />

Norway Denmark<br />

Germany<br />

Luxembourg<br />

Finl<strong>and</strong><br />

Belgium<br />

Austria<br />

Irel<strong>and</strong><br />

Netherl<strong>and</strong>s<br />

Italy<br />

20<br />

10<br />

Pol<strong>and</strong><br />

Greece<br />

Hungary<br />

Portugal<br />

Slovenia<br />

0<br />

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100<br />

Membership in any association, in %<br />

Source: European Social Survey, 2002. Data are weighted to correct for a sampling bias within each sample (design<br />

weight). R = .91 *** .<br />

Elite-challenging activities: Percentage of respondents who “Have done” any of the following activities in the past 12<br />

month: Signed petition, taken part in a lawful demonstration, boycotted certain products, or deliberately bought certain<br />

products for political, ethical or environmental reasons.<br />

Membership in any association: Percentage of respondents who are a member in any of the following organizations:<br />

sports club or club for outdoor activities; organization for cultural or hobby activities; trade union; business, professional or<br />

farmers’ organization; consumer or automobile organization; organization for humanitarian aid, human rights, minorities or<br />

immigrants; organization for environmental protection, peace or animal rights; religious or church organization; political<br />

party; organization for science, education, teachers or parents; social club, club for the young, the retired/elderly, women<br />

or friendly societies.<br />

As Figure 7-1 clearly reveals, in societies that are characterized by a vibrant associational<br />

life, the level of elite-challenging activities is comparably high (r = .91 *** ). The<br />

Sc<strong>and</strong>inavian societies, for example, show both a great integration of the population into<br />

organizations <strong>and</strong> the highest level of elite-challenging activities, whereas the new<br />

democracies in Central Eastern Europe as well as the Southern European societies rank<br />

low in both organizational membership <strong>and</strong> elite-challenging activities. Apparently, the<br />

characteristics of societal networks shape the wider context of mass action (Roller <strong>and</strong><br />

Wessels 1996: 26). The density of such networks affects how easy (or hard) it is to<br />

mobilize people into action. The closer the ties in a society, the lower the barrier to other<br />

forms of participation, independently of individual attributes: “You don’t even have to be<br />

112

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