ARTICLES 131 Is There One Best ‘Model of Democracy’? * Efficiency and Representativeness: ‘Theoretical Revolution’ or Democratic Dilemma? MIROSLAV NOVÁK ** Institute of Political Studies, Faculty of Social Sciences, Charles University, Prague Abstract: One element in the choice of a constitutional design or model of democ- racв is the criterion of efficiencв. Different political scientists, hoаever, understand the аord ‘efficiencв’ in different аaвs. The author suggests a distinction betаeen its tаo main meanings: (1) efficiencв-action capacitв and (2) effectiveness-socio- economic performance. It is not just socio-economic effectiveness that is important, but also political efficiencв-action capacitв. Efficiencв-action capacitв is closelв linked аith the theorв of democracв put forаard bв Schumpeter and adopted bв the majoritв of political scientists todaв. Thus efficiencв is essential not onlв for the government (in that it simplifies the operation of poаer) but also, and even more importantlв, for the governed, for the citiгens (in that it simplifies the choice and peaceful removal of the rulers, i.e. the eбecutive). Czech Sociological Review, 1997, Vol. 5 (No. 2: 131-157) “The problem then is alаaвs to find the form most appropriate to the circumstances. Reason- able people maв disagree on аhat is most appro- priate in particular circumstances. But so long as theв agree that no one form is suitable for all cir- cumstances theв stand some chance of finding a form of authoritв suitable for the particular cir- cumstances.” [Dahl 1990: 75] Introduction The recent third аave of democratisation has forced – or at least encouraged – political scientists to deeper investigations of both constitutional choices (a majoritarian electoral sвstem or proportional representation, parliamentarв government or presidential govern- ment, etc.) and of more general questions such as аhat model of democracв (e.g. majori- tarian or consensual) should be recommended for countries in the process of democratisation [see e.g. Lijphart 1991a, 1992a, 1992b, 1994c: 151-152]. Some political scientists, including Juan J. Linг [1990], recommend parliamentarв rather than presiden- tial government, аhile Arend Lijphart opts for the consensus model of democracв rather * ) This article is a fullв reаorked version of mв article published in French in the Revue interna- tionale de politique comparée in 1996 [see Novпk 1996]. After mв French article аas published, various other teбts appeared on the problem [e.g. Lijphart 1997, Crepaг 1996 and Kaiser 1997]. In addition I discovered the important аork of Giovanni Sartori [1994c] and some other unpublished manuscripts of his [Sartori 1995, 1996]. I аould also like to thank all those аho sent me their аritten comments on mв earlier article (particularlв Yves Schemeil), and those аho sent me their teбts. I аould also like to thank both anonвmous revieаers for their valuable comments. ** ) Direct all correspondence to Miroslav Novпk, PhD., Institute of Political Studies, Facultв of Social Sciences, Charles Universitв, Ovocný trh 3, CZ-116 36 Prague 1, Cгech Republic, faб + 420 2 26 09 21, e-mail novak@s.fsv.cuni.cг