Democratisation
Democratisation is the process through which a political regime becomes democratic. The term is most commonly used in reference to the explosive spread of democracy since 1974, a period which witnessed the collapse of dictatorships in Latin America and Asia, the overthrow of communist regimes in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and the emergence of electoral democracies throughout Africa. Democratization has been accompanied by the rise of civil society, the development of a free press, and the growth of private sector economic activity. These trends have helped to create a sense of popular ownership of the state, as well as of the social and political structures that govern it.
Scholars have debated the causes of democratization, with some arguing that it is a result of favourable structural conditions and others arguing that it occurs as a result of elite choice. Both approaches have advantages and drawbacks. The former allows scholars to construct a detailed model of the democratization process in individual countries, but can be prone to over-emphasis of certain factors. The latter is easier to grasp in conceptual terms, but can be difficult to test empirically.
Most observers agree that the onset of a new wave of democratization is due to a combination of forces, including international pressures (e.g. from the United States, the European Union, and other donor countries), domestic civil-society activity, and the increasing sophistication of political parties. In addition, the growing wealth of many developing countries has enabled them to afford the infrastructure needed for a democratic political system, such as a free press, public universities, and effective redistribution of resources.
Another factor that seems to contribute to democratization is the existence of a stable middle class, which is seen as a buffer against authoritarian tendencies by both rich and poor elements in society. Specifically, it is assumed that the middle class will balance the power of wealthy business leaders who are willing to use their resources to gain control over a government and poorer citizens who may be willing to resort to revolution or other violent means in order to achieve their objectives. This explains why the presence of a large middle class has been so important to the success of democratization in countries as diverse as Britain, Venezuela, and Latin America.
Finally, some argue that the spread of democracy is assisted by the “democratic peace,” a phenomenon which describes the lack of war between established democracies. While there were a few ambiguous cases in the 19th century in which democratizing nations fought each other, there have been no such conflicts since then. However, there is a strong argument that the “democratic peace” is largely a result of the fact that democratic governments are less likely to engage in aggressive foreign policies than authoritarian ones. Nonetheless, this does not mean that democracies can afford to ignore the possibility of hostile intervention by other countries. On the contrary, they should make an active effort to promote democratization in other countries, particularly those in their own region.
Democratisation is the process through which a political regime becomes democratic. The term is most commonly used in reference to the explosive spread of democracy since 1974, a period which witnessed the collapse of dictatorships in Latin America and Asia, the overthrow of communist regimes in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, and the emergence of electoral democracies throughout Africa. Democratization has been accompanied by the rise of civil society, the development of a free press, and the growth of private sector economic activity. These trends have helped to create a sense of popular ownership of the state, as well as of the social and political structures that govern it. Scholars have debated the causes of democratization, with some arguing that it is a result of favourable structural conditions and others arguing that it occurs as a result of elite choice. Both approaches have advantages and drawbacks. The former allows scholars to construct a detailed model of the democratization process in individual countries, but can be prone to over-emphasis of certain factors. The latter is easier to grasp in conceptual terms, but can be difficult to test empirically. Most observers agree that the onset of a new wave of democratization is due to a combination of forces, including international pressures (e.g. from the United States, the European Union, and other donor countries), domestic civil-society activity, and the increasing sophistication of political parties. In addition, the growing wealth of many developing countries has enabled them to afford the infrastructure needed for a democratic political system, such as a free press, public universities, and effective redistribution of resources. Another factor that seems to contribute to democratization is the existence of a stable middle class, which is seen as a buffer against authoritarian tendencies by both rich and poor elements in society. Specifically, it is assumed that the middle class will balance the power of wealthy business leaders who are willing to use their resources to gain control over a government and poorer citizens who may be willing to resort to revolution or other violent means in order to achieve their objectives. This explains why the presence of a large middle class has been so important to the success of democratization in countries as diverse as Britain, Venezuela, and Latin America. Finally, some argue that the spread of democracy is assisted by the “democratic peace,” a phenomenon which describes the lack of war between established democracies. While there were a few ambiguous cases in the 19th century in which democratizing nations fought each other, there have been no such conflicts since then. However, there is a strong argument that the “democratic peace” is largely a result of the fact that democratic governments are less likely to engage in aggressive foreign policies than authoritarian ones. Nonetheless, this does not mean that democracies can afford to ignore the possibility of hostile intervention by other countries. On the contrary, they should make an active effort to promote democratization in other countries, particularly those in their own region.