Creating the Conditions for Democratisation
Democratisation, the process by which societies move from authoritarianism or minimalist democracy to substantive democracy, is complex and difficult. There is no such thing as a smooth, linear and safe path to democracy, and many analysts have argued that attempts to impose democracy from outside are doomed to failure. Rather, a successful democratic transition depends on first establishing the right conditions within a society, and that this is a long process.
There are a wide variety of national and cross-national factors that can promote or hinder democratisation, but several stand out as particularly important. One is education. Educated citizens are better equipped to understand and participate in political issues, and they are also more likely to hold values that are compatible with democracy. Hence, the widespread view that the expansion of educational opportunities is a key ingredient in the success of democratization.
Another factor is economic development. Democratization tends to take place in countries with high levels of economic development, because more resources allow more people to participate in politics and make demands on the government. Furthermore, it is often easier to establish a free press in richer nations, which can help disseminate political ideas and facilitate the formation of opposition parties and networks that challenge incumbent regimes.
The third major factor is the existence of a culture that supports democratization. There is no consensus as to exactly what constitutes a democratic culture, but it usually includes a tolerance of diversity, a belief that most people are basically trustworthy, a respect for freedom and equality, a willingness to cooperate with and compromise with other citizens, and a sense of responsibility for the common good. It is this cultural climate that allows citizens to accept the idea that they should be able to directly choose their government.
A number of scholars have also argued that a key ingredient in a democratic culture is civic engagement, including volunteering. This can be facilitated by setting up local organisations that bring together different groups in a community and encourage them to discuss political issues in a non-political way. It can also be encouraged by organising public events that raise awareness of particular issues. These could be environmental in nature, for example, or they might involve protesting against war or corporate exploitation.
All of these factors can interact to create the right conditions for a successful democratic transition. But the main point to remember is that a democratic culture cannot be created or imposed from outside – and no country has ever successfully undergone a democratisation that was not preceded by the creation of favourable civil-society conditions. Attempts to impose democracy from outside are almost certain to fail, and even when they succeed in producing procedural democracy, they are unlikely to be sustainable.
Democratisation, the process by which societies move from authoritarianism or minimalist democracy to substantive democracy, is complex and difficult. There is no such thing as a smooth, linear and safe path to democracy, and many analysts have argued that attempts to impose democracy from outside are doomed to failure. Rather, a successful democratic transition depends on first establishing the right conditions within a society, and that this is a long process. There are a wide variety of national and cross-national factors that can promote or hinder democratisation, but several stand out as particularly important. One is education. Educated citizens are better equipped to understand and participate in political issues, and they are also more likely to hold values that are compatible with democracy. Hence, the widespread view that the expansion of educational opportunities is a key ingredient in the success of democratization. Another factor is economic development. Democratization tends to take place in countries with high levels of economic development, because more resources allow more people to participate in politics and make demands on the government. Furthermore, it is often easier to establish a free press in richer nations, which can help disseminate political ideas and facilitate the formation of opposition parties and networks that challenge incumbent regimes. The third major factor is the existence of a culture that supports democratization. There is no consensus as to exactly what constitutes a democratic culture, but it usually includes a tolerance of diversity, a belief that most people are basically trustworthy, a respect for freedom and equality, a willingness to cooperate with and compromise with other citizens, and a sense of responsibility for the common good. It is this cultural climate that allows citizens to accept the idea that they should be able to directly choose their government. A number of scholars have also argued that a key ingredient in a democratic culture is civic engagement, including volunteering. This can be facilitated by setting up local organisations that bring together different groups in a community and encourage them to discuss political issues in a non-political way. It can also be encouraged by organising public events that raise awareness of particular issues. These could be environmental in nature, for example, or they might involve protesting against war or corporate exploitation. All of these factors can interact to create the right conditions for a successful democratic transition. But the main point to remember is that a democratic culture cannot be created or imposed from outside – and no country has ever successfully undergone a democratisation that was not preceded by the creation of favourable civil-society conditions. Attempts to impose democracy from outside are almost certain to fail, and even when they succeed in producing procedural democracy, they are unlikely to be sustainable.