The Process of Democracy
The process of democratisation tends to occur in waves, clustered in time and space. Samuel Huntington distinguished three main waves of democratisation, which included the first wave, which was characterised by suffrage expansion and occurred in western Europe, and the second wave, which was associated with a return to authoritarianism. This article will provide an overview of how democratisation has taken place in various countries. Regardless of the wave that the transition follows, it will be necessary to consider the various factors that shape the process.
Democratisation has varied processes in different countries. In the Arab Spring, for example, the process of democratisation was witnessed across the Middle East. While there are many forms of democratisation, all of them have the same objective: the right to express opinions and a right to vote. Democratisation is important to promote human rights and ensure that the government’s decisions are based on the will of the people. Oftentimes, authoritarian rulers hold great power and control, making it impossible for the people to make good decisions. To succeed in democratisation, a large part of the population must have pro-democracy sentiments and fight for change.
Democratisation is closely linked to the development of a country. Democracies have many features that help economic development. Furthermore, a strong moral bias favors democratisation. Further, it enables discussion and debate. Overall, democratisation tends to improve economic performance. And, in the long run, if democracy is achieved, citizens will be able to press the ruling elite to develop. But, as with all good things, democratisation requires effort.
In the Muslim Middle East, meanwhile, regimes have struggled to democratise. The regimes that have attempted to implement democratisation in the region have largely succeeded in producing various forms of procedural democracy. Despite the pressures, no Muslim country can reach the essential criteria of liberal democracy. Most Muslim leadership has opted for promoting democratic reforms in their countries, but in small steps, within the procedural framework.
Tanzania has a case study of authoritarianism gone wrong. The country’s first president, Julius Nyerere, promoted democratisation in the 1970s with reforms aimed at local development and bottom-up democratisation. However, the Ujamaa regime imposed top-down socialism, which strangled local democracy and forced millions of farmers into communes. These examples point to the need for more effective democratisation.
A healthy democracy is the result of an active civil society. A healthy civil society promotes democratic habits and values and develops civic culture. Civic culture is typically characterised by dense networks of voluntary associations. These associations do not promote partisanship, and are generally non-political in nature. Such networks promote social ties and tolerance of diversity, which help in preventing violent conflict. This is one of the major reasons why democracy is so important in a democratic society.
Despite its obvious benefits, democratisation is not without its drawbacks. While it may be a difficult process to implement, a well-functioning democracy will eventually lead to less political corruption. The reason for this is that in a country with little or no democracy, politicians can manipulate institutions and policies to their own benefit. Moreover, a corrupt regime can lead to widespread discrimination and social problems. The democratic state will have fewer problems with corruption than authoritarian regimes.
The process of democratisation tends to occur in waves, clustered in time and space. Samuel Huntington distinguished three main waves of democratisation, which included the first wave, which was characterised by suffrage expansion and occurred in western Europe, and the second wave, which was associated with a return to authoritarianism. This article will provide an overview of how democratisation has taken place in various countries. Regardless of the wave that the transition follows, it will be necessary to consider the various factors that shape the process. Democratisation has varied processes in different countries. In the Arab Spring, for example, the process of democratisation was witnessed across the Middle East. While there are many forms of democratisation, all of them have the same objective: the right to express opinions and a right to vote. Democratisation is important to promote human rights and ensure that the government’s decisions are based on the will of the people. Oftentimes, authoritarian rulers hold great power and control, making it impossible for the people to make good decisions. To succeed in democratisation, a large part of the population must have pro-democracy sentiments and fight for change. Democratisation is closely linked to the development of a country. Democracies have many features that help economic development. Furthermore, a strong moral bias favors democratisation. Further, it enables discussion and debate. Overall, democratisation tends to improve economic performance. And, in the long run, if democracy is achieved, citizens will be able to press the ruling elite to develop. But, as with all good things, democratisation requires effort. In the Muslim Middle East, meanwhile, regimes have struggled to democratise. The regimes that have attempted to implement democratisation in the region have largely succeeded in producing various forms of procedural democracy. Despite the pressures, no Muslim country can reach the essential criteria of liberal democracy. Most Muslim leadership has opted for promoting democratic reforms in their countries, but in small steps, within the procedural framework. Tanzania has a case study of authoritarianism gone wrong. The country’s first president, Julius Nyerere, promoted democratisation in the 1970s with reforms aimed at local development and bottom-up democratisation. However, the Ujamaa regime imposed top-down socialism, which strangled local democracy and forced millions of farmers into communes. These examples point to the need for more effective democratisation. A healthy democracy is the result of an active civil society. A healthy civil society promotes democratic habits and values and develops civic culture. Civic culture is typically characterised by dense networks of voluntary associations. These associations do not promote partisanship, and are generally non-political in nature. Such networks promote social ties and tolerance of diversity, which help in preventing violent conflict. This is one of the major reasons why democracy is so important in a democratic society. Despite its obvious benefits, democratisation is not without its drawbacks. While it may be a difficult process to implement, a well-functioning democracy will eventually lead to less political corruption. The reason for this is that in a country with little or no democracy, politicians can manipulate institutions and policies to their own benefit. Moreover, a corrupt regime can lead to widespread discrimination and social problems. The democratic state will have fewer problems with corruption than authoritarian regimes.