Democratisation in the 21st Century

Democratisation

Democratisation has been called the “political revolution of the century” for good reason. The process of democratisation aims to make the society more representative and a more democratic system is essential for such a goal. However, it is difficult to define democratisation in practice. In addition to favourable social and political changes, democratisation requires that the majority of citizens have a certain level of understanding and appreciation of democratic values, practices, and ideas. Moreover, if the process of democratisation is not based on development, the outcome may be a procedural democracy where the political system of a state is unresponsive and manipulated.

In the last century, the number of countries democratised has quadrupled compared to the previous period, but the number of ‘new’ democracies has increased considerably. However, this does not mean that all new democracies have reached full democratization. In fact, some ‘new democracies’ emerged in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Moreover, the terminology of democracy is used by many leaders and some basic democratic procedures are practiced selectively, while others claim legitimacy and brand themselves as popular.

There are many paths to democratisation, and there are no universal conditions for democratisation. Moreover, in many countries, democratisation is preceded by the development of a strong civil society, which increases the public’s participation in policy processes, protects citizens’ rights, and promotes democratic values. Nevertheless, the transitional period is a hazardous one, and it is crucial that we be cautious when trying to evaluate the progress of democratisation.

Fortunately, South Africa has been an exception. In 1994, a multiracial democracy was achieved in the country after the white and black political elites summoned unprecedented political will to make it happen. In that country, Nelson Mandela and F. W. de Klerk, the former president of a racist authoritarian regime, were able to win the popular support they needed to enact a multiracial constitution.

The USA’s policy towards Muslim states has not necessarily led to democratisation. In the 1980s, the USA courted the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein in Iraq as a compensation for the end of the Shah’s autocratic rule in Iran. Likewise, the USA has rarely linked the need to democratise Muslim states to its interests in ensuring Israel’s security. Hence, there is a tension between helping to protect Israel and promoting democratisation in the Muslim Middle East.

The Papaioannou and Siourounis index focuses on the institutionalisation of democracy and its effects on economic growth. However, their definition of democracy is more restrictive than ours. It captures the democratisation of political institutions and economic growth, but it excludes transitions from democracy to autocracy. This method is better than others, but we must note that the differences are not that big. The donor community may have mixed effects on democratisation.

Democratisation has been described as the process of empowering the ordinary citizen to exercise their power. In other words, the democratisation of technology has given people the means to do things they never would have been able to before. It has democratised information and communication, giving individuals the chance to make money, promote a business, and even invent new things. It has allowed dreams to become a reality. So, it is not surprising that democratisation is one of the most significant factors in today’s society.

Democratisation has been called the “political revolution of the century” for good reason. The process of democratisation aims to make the society more representative and a more democratic system is essential for such a goal. However, it is difficult to define democratisation in practice. In addition to favourable social and political changes, democratisation requires that the majority of citizens have a certain level of understanding and appreciation of democratic values, practices, and ideas. Moreover, if the process of democratisation is not based on development, the outcome may be a procedural democracy where the political system of a state is unresponsive and manipulated. In the last century, the number of countries democratised has quadrupled compared to the previous period, but the number of ‘new’ democracies has increased considerably. However, this does not mean that all new democracies have reached full democratization. In fact, some ‘new democracies’ emerged in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. Moreover, the terminology of democracy is used by many leaders and some basic democratic procedures are practiced selectively, while others claim legitimacy and brand themselves as popular. There are many paths to democratisation, and there are no universal conditions for democratisation. Moreover, in many countries, democratisation is preceded by the development of a strong civil society, which increases the public’s participation in policy processes, protects citizens’ rights, and promotes democratic values. Nevertheless, the transitional period is a hazardous one, and it is crucial that we be cautious when trying to evaluate the progress of democratisation. Fortunately, South Africa has been an exception. In 1994, a multiracial democracy was achieved in the country after the white and black political elites summoned unprecedented political will to make it happen. In that country, Nelson Mandela and F. W. de Klerk, the former president of a racist authoritarian regime, were able to win the popular support they needed to enact a multiracial constitution. The USA’s policy towards Muslim states has not necessarily led to democratisation. In the 1980s, the USA courted the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein in Iraq as a compensation for the end of the Shah’s autocratic rule in Iran. Likewise, the USA has rarely linked the need to democratise Muslim states to its interests in ensuring Israel’s security. Hence, there is a tension between helping to protect Israel and promoting democratisation in the Muslim Middle East. The Papaioannou and Siourounis index focuses on the institutionalisation of democracy and its effects on economic growth. However, their definition of democracy is more restrictive than ours. It captures the democratisation of political institutions and economic growth, but it excludes transitions from democracy to autocracy. This method is better than others, but we must note that the differences are not that big. The donor community may have mixed effects on democratisation. Democratisation has been described as the process of empowering the ordinary citizen to exercise their power. In other words, the democratisation of technology has given people the means to do things they never would have been able to before. It has democratised information and communication, giving individuals the chance to make money, promote a business, and even invent new things. It has allowed dreams to become a reality. So, it is not surprising that democratisation is one of the most significant factors in today’s society.