Page 7 of Robert A Dahl's book "Polyarchy-Participation and Opposition" (1971), provides a figure conceptualizing liberalization, inclusiveness and democratization with the help of which countries can be termed as either inclusive or closed hegemonies, or competitive oligarchies or polyarchies. On this figure, Nigeria falls in between competitive oligarchies and polyarchies and China falls under competitive oligarchy. In this essay, I would like to compare these two countries on the basis of Dahl's concept of participation and contestation with reference to two other institutions-the executive branch and the electoral system of both countries, in order to discuss the practicality of his concept of polyarchy " in comparing political regimes. My initial thought after reading Dahl was that his theory of polyarchy gives a very clear definition of how a near perfect democracy should be and his strategies of Polyarchy " definitely helps to understand the political system of different countries, however, his concept of polyarchy according to me is not the best approach to compare political regimes. Nevertheless, I will only make my conclusion final after I have interpreted the political systems of both China and Nigeria using his concepts of Participation and contestation. .
Robert A Dahl in his book "Polyarchy-Participation and Opposition"" caries forward his ideas of the conditions under which political systems change or are transformed from one type to another. (Dahl (1971) page 1) Dahl defines "Democracy " as a political system which has the characteristics of being completely or almost completely responsive to all its citizens. (Dahl (1971) Page 2) Since it is almost impossible for a government to be responsive to all of its citizens, Dahl calls our everyday conception of democracy Polyarchy. So, polyarchies "are regimes that have been substantially popularized and liberalized, one which is highly inclusive and extensively open to public contestation.