“The Essential Elements of a Functional Democracy: Perspectives from Schmitter and Karl, Berman, and O’Neil et al, and a Comparison with an Authoritarian Regime”

Schmitter and Karl, Berman, and O’Neil et al are very clear that we need to understand democracy in terms of what it is, rather than what we want it to be, and in terms of how it works. What are the most important elements of a functional democracy according to each text? Explain why each author highlights these elements. Finally, using one of the countries in the O’Neil et al book, show how an authoritarian regime is missing these elements.