What is Democracisation?
Democratisation is the process by which a society becomes more democratic. This process involves a number of things, including giving people a say in the political system, removing some forms of discrimination, and creating more openness between governments and citizens. Democratisation can also help create societies that are more accepting of different beliefs, genders and races. However, a society must be able to handle the pressure of these changes before it can be considered truly democratised.
There are many reasons why a country may choose to democratise, and each reason is different from the last. The most common reasons include economic development, an increase in the educational levels of the population and the rise in the popularity of liberal ideas. Typically, these changes can be difficult for authoritarian governments to prevent.
As a result, the democratisation process tends to take place gradually over time, with some countries being able to achieve greater democracy than others. This is why it is often said that a country is in a state of democratisation, although this term can be misleading if used too loosely, since the transition to democracy and the consolidation of the new political system are two distinct processes that can be accomplished at different times.
The most important factor in democratisation is the will of the people to fight for their rights. In order to succeed, a movement must be well organised and capable of mobilising a large number of people. This is why a democratisation movement will usually not succeed unless it has a clear goal and the support of the majority of the population. This support can be reflected in the electoral vote or in the formation of a political coalition.
Another important factor is the strength of democracy in neighbouring countries. There have been a few cases of democratising countries going to war with established democracies, but there is a general trend in international relations that a country will not fight other democratic nations if it has a strong democracy at home.
Some political scientists argue that the success of democratisation is partly due to its spread through globalisation, and that democracy will eventually reach all countries of the world. This is based on the assumption that there is a universal craving for democracy, and that democratic systems are better at providing people with the goods they need, such as economic growth, education and freedom of speech.
A number of researchers have rejected this structuralist approach to democratisation, and instead focused on the role of key political actors in determining whether or not an opening to democracy will occur. In particular, they have argued that elite dispositions, calculations and pacts largely determine whether or not a regime transition will happen at all. In addition, they have emphasised the importance of cultural influences, economic development and the wider international environment in which a territorial unit finds itself. Moreover, they have highlighted the fact that richer countries are not necessarily more likely to democratise than poorer countries.
Democratisation is the process by which a society becomes more democratic. This process involves a number of things, including giving people a say in the political system, removing some forms of discrimination, and creating more openness between governments and citizens. Democratisation can also help create societies that are more accepting of different beliefs, genders and races. However, a society must be able to handle the pressure of these changes before it can be considered truly democratised. There are many reasons why a country may choose to democratise, and each reason is different from the last. The most common reasons include economic development, an increase in the educational levels of the population and the rise in the popularity of liberal ideas. Typically, these changes can be difficult for authoritarian governments to prevent. As a result, the democratisation process tends to take place gradually over time, with some countries being able to achieve greater democracy than others. This is why it is often said that a country is in a state of democratisation, although this term can be misleading if used too loosely, since the transition to democracy and the consolidation of the new political system are two distinct processes that can be accomplished at different times. The most important factor in democratisation is the will of the people to fight for their rights. In order to succeed, a movement must be well organised and capable of mobilising a large number of people. This is why a democratisation movement will usually not succeed unless it has a clear goal and the support of the majority of the population. This support can be reflected in the electoral vote or in the formation of a political coalition. Another important factor is the strength of democracy in neighbouring countries. There have been a few cases of democratising countries going to war with established democracies, but there is a general trend in international relations that a country will not fight other democratic nations if it has a strong democracy at home. Some political scientists argue that the success of democratisation is partly due to its spread through globalisation, and that democracy will eventually reach all countries of the world. This is based on the assumption that there is a universal craving for democracy, and that democratic systems are better at providing people with the goods they need, such as economic growth, education and freedom of speech. A number of researchers have rejected this structuralist approach to democratisation, and instead focused on the role of key political actors in determining whether or not an opening to democracy will occur. In particular, they have argued that elite dispositions, calculations and pacts largely determine whether or not a regime transition will happen at all. In addition, they have emphasised the importance of cultural influences, economic development and the wider international environment in which a territorial unit finds itself. Moreover, they have highlighted the fact that richer countries are not necessarily more likely to democratise than poorer countries.