Creating the Conditions for Democracy
A democratic regime allows citizens to participate directly in the formulation and implementation of laws, and protects their rights and liberties. The explosive spread of democracy that began in the mid-20th century transformed international politics. While scholars and policy makers have debated how it came to be, there is broad agreement that democratisation can be promoted by the creation of the right social conditions. These are commonly seen as requiring an educated middle class, economic development and the existence of a culture of tolerance that promotes the institutions and values of democracy.
The creation of the conditions for democratisation can be difficult, and it is generally recognised that it cannot take place without significant civil society activity. This is typically associated with the growth of political and civic groups that are able to provide a platform for discussion and debate of issues of interest to their members, including questions of government. This provides an important counterweight to the power of political elites and governments, and has been one of the main features that characterise democracy in developed countries.
There is also a strong link between democratisation and economic development, although it is not clear whether this is caused by democracy or by economic growth. Increased economic development usually brings about increases in educational standards, which tend to produce people who are better equipped to understand and debate political issues. This enables them to demand greater participation and accountability from governments, which can be very challenging for authoritarian rulers.
In many cases, a repressive regime will ultimately succumb to this pressure and allow its citizens more political freedoms. This is often followed by a period of stabilisation and consolidation, which requires the existence of the institutions and values of democracy. This process is made even more difficult when a country has a history of intractable conflict. Creating the trust, tolerance and capacity for cooperation that are the cornerstones of a democracy can be extremely challenging in these situations.
There are some arguments that the processes of democratisation can be accelerated by outside intervention. However, this is generally viewed as a very hazardous proposition. The success of foreign-induced democratisation in Japan and Germany after World War II, for example, has rarely been replicated, and the recent attempts to democratise Afghanistan and Iraq have so far proved highly problematic.
Another line of argument suggests that the success or failure of a democracy is largely determined by its internal conditions. This is based on the idea that the most successful democracies are those that have developed a set of institutions and practices that ensure that they can fulfil their essential functions, including promoting economic development and guaranteeing human rights. In contrast, those democracies that have failed to develop such capacities are likely to find themselves at a permanent disadvantage in the global economy. They may also fail to protect their own citizens from the kind of violent disorder that can be triggered by a breakdown in civil society.
A democratic regime allows citizens to participate directly in the formulation and implementation of laws, and protects their rights and liberties. The explosive spread of democracy that began in the mid-20th century transformed international politics. While scholars and policy makers have debated how it came to be, there is broad agreement that democratisation can be promoted by the creation of the right social conditions. These are commonly seen as requiring an educated middle class, economic development and the existence of a culture of tolerance that promotes the institutions and values of democracy. The creation of the conditions for democratisation can be difficult, and it is generally recognised that it cannot take place without significant civil society activity. This is typically associated with the growth of political and civic groups that are able to provide a platform for discussion and debate of issues of interest to their members, including questions of government. This provides an important counterweight to the power of political elites and governments, and has been one of the main features that characterise democracy in developed countries. There is also a strong link between democratisation and economic development, although it is not clear whether this is caused by democracy or by economic growth. Increased economic development usually brings about increases in educational standards, which tend to produce people who are better equipped to understand and debate political issues. This enables them to demand greater participation and accountability from governments, which can be very challenging for authoritarian rulers. In many cases, a repressive regime will ultimately succumb to this pressure and allow its citizens more political freedoms. This is often followed by a period of stabilisation and consolidation, which requires the existence of the institutions and values of democracy. This process is made even more difficult when a country has a history of intractable conflict. Creating the trust, tolerance and capacity for cooperation that are the cornerstones of a democracy can be extremely challenging in these situations. There are some arguments that the processes of democratisation can be accelerated by outside intervention. However, this is generally viewed as a very hazardous proposition. The success of foreign-induced democratisation in Japan and Germany after World War II, for example, has rarely been replicated, and the recent attempts to democratise Afghanistan and Iraq have so far proved highly problematic. Another line of argument suggests that the success or failure of a democracy is largely determined by its internal conditions. This is based on the idea that the most successful democracies are those that have developed a set of institutions and practices that ensure that they can fulfil their essential functions, including promoting economic development and guaranteeing human rights. In contrast, those democracies that have failed to develop such capacities are likely to find themselves at a permanent disadvantage in the global economy. They may also fail to protect their own citizens from the kind of violent disorder that can be triggered by a breakdown in civil society.