ABSTRACT
Democratic regimes seem to be especially advantaged by economic performance because affluence tends to generate a more educated and, thus, politically attentive population less willing to leave its fate in the hands of an inaccessible and privileged elite. Democracy is not confined to the handful of most affluent states any longer, although affluence itself is more diffused across regions, especially in eastern and southeastern Asia where economic performance often has been little short of extraordinary. An aggregate relationship between democracy and affluence exists, that relationship, while strong, is less than perfect. Performance, nonetheless, helps to sustain democratic stability. The longevity of democratic institutions is a superb predictor to their continued stability. The lack of stability may pose a threat to both governing effectiveness and the democratic political order. Wasting votes provides the potential for enhancing the authority and accountability of government—at least a parliamentary government—by making it more possible to obtain a clear-cut majority.
