The Challenges of Democracy
Democracy has become a global paradigm for governance, but it’s not without its challenges. A successful democratic system requires compromise and mutual respect between citizens and the state. Its legitimacy and effectiveness are judged by its ability to deliver on the promises of freedom, equality, justice and prosperity for all.
To make a democracy work, a country needs to offer its citizens basic human rights like free speech, equal opportunity and binding consultation. It also must provide public services, promote economic development and protect its people from arbitrary government action. However, not all countries are able to achieve this, and even those that can, have difficulty in maintaining a healthy democracy. This is because democratisation, or the transformation from autocracy to minimal or procedural democracy, has never been linear and smooth, and – despite the best efforts of many – has always been subject to hazards and risks.
Whether a society will move from authoritarianism to a form of parliamentary democracy is usually determined by a combination of social, cultural and historical factors. It depends on the level of political and social maturity at which citizens can grasp, accept and adopt democratic ideas, values and practices as not threatening to but complementary of their traditional referents of cultural identity and beliefs in what might constitute the ‘common good’. In addition, a society needs to have sufficient resources in terms of both financial and human capital for its leaders to have the courage to implement the democratic transformation.
The development of democracy and the ability of societies to achieve sustainable pro-democratic changes often go hand in hand with economic growth. This may be because a higher standard of living means that more citizens can afford to participate in politics and demand better quality public services. It can also be because economic development increases the scope for redistribution and thus for policies that benefit poorer segments of society.
This does not mean, however, that there is a one-to-one relationship between democracy and economic growth. A more significant factor is the extent to which a society can mobilise its population to support the democratisation process. This often depends on the level of education, and on the capacity for mass movements to organise themselves. It can also depend on the extent to which a society has developed traditions of civil control over its military and political leadership. Moreover, a country’s experience with democracy in the past can have lasting effects. These and other variables help to explain why the relationship between democratisation and economic development is complicated and multifaceted.
Democracy has become a global paradigm for governance, but it’s not without its challenges. A successful democratic system requires compromise and mutual respect between citizens and the state. Its legitimacy and effectiveness are judged by its ability to deliver on the promises of freedom, equality, justice and prosperity for all. To make a democracy work, a country needs to offer its citizens basic human rights like free speech, equal opportunity and binding consultation. It also must provide public services, promote economic development and protect its people from arbitrary government action. However, not all countries are able to achieve this, and even those that can, have difficulty in maintaining a healthy democracy. This is because democratisation, or the transformation from autocracy to minimal or procedural democracy, has never been linear and smooth, and – despite the best efforts of many – has always been subject to hazards and risks. Whether a society will move from authoritarianism to a form of parliamentary democracy is usually determined by a combination of social, cultural and historical factors. It depends on the level of political and social maturity at which citizens can grasp, accept and adopt democratic ideas, values and practices as not threatening to but complementary of their traditional referents of cultural identity and beliefs in what might constitute the ‘common good’. In addition, a society needs to have sufficient resources in terms of both financial and human capital for its leaders to have the courage to implement the democratic transformation. The development of democracy and the ability of societies to achieve sustainable pro-democratic changes often go hand in hand with economic growth. This may be because a higher standard of living means that more citizens can afford to participate in politics and demand better quality public services. It can also be because economic development increases the scope for redistribution and thus for policies that benefit poorer segments of society. This does not mean, however, that there is a one-to-one relationship between democracy and economic growth. A more significant factor is the extent to which a society can mobilise its population to support the democratisation process. This often depends on the level of education, and on the capacity for mass movements to organise themselves. It can also depend on the extent to which a society has developed traditions of civil control over its military and political leadership. Moreover, a country’s experience with democracy in the past can have lasting effects. These and other variables help to explain why the relationship between democratisation and economic development is complicated and multifaceted.