What Is Democracy?
Democratisation is the structural transition from an authoritarian government to a more democratic political regime and includes substantive political changes moving in a democratic direction. It is usually accompanied by civil society changes and, in some cases, military overthrow. Throughout history, democratisation has occurred in waves. The first wave of democratisation was the expansion of suffrage, followed by the collapse of many European democracies in the 1930s and 1940s, and the spread of democracy after World War II. Since then, there have been a number of reverse waves and relapses to authoritarianism.
Although there is no universally agreed-on definition of democratisation, there is wide agreement that democracy should be seen as a normative standard of human rights and that the spread of democratic values is an important objective. There are also differing views as to what conditions are most important for democratisation, and there is no consensus that any one system should be taken as the model of democracy. There is, however, general agreement that democracies are more likely to be stable and to develop economic and social welfare benefits than non-democracies.
Some scholars emphasise the importance of a middle class as a stabilizing force that guards against authoritarian tendencies. They argue that large inequalities between rich and poor exacerbate class conflicts, which can lead to the rise of authoritarian regimes by either the wealthy or the working classes. They stress the role of democratic pressures from the middle class in democratisation processes in countries as diverse as Britain, Latin America and South Korea.
Others emphasise the need for a tolerant culture, which allows different points of view to be expressed. They believe that this is necessary to counterbalance authoritarian tendencies in a democratic system. They also argue that a tolerant culture is necessary for a free press, which is vital in ensuring that information is not censored and that citizens are able to participate in civic life.
Finally, some scholars believe that a democratic political culture needs to be transmitted from generation to generation. They claim that a democratic mindset is learned rather than biologically inherited, and they suggest that parents can help their children develop a democratic outlook by encouraging them to read books about democracy, debate ideas with them and take part in civil-society activities.
As the debate continues about how to best promote democratization, there is a growing recognition that international aid should focus on helping developing countries build their own democracy. There is a strong argument that this will be more effective than trying to push democratic reforms onto unwilling societies. As the examples of Afghanistan and Iraq show, a policy of forced democratization stands little chance of success. Moreover, it would be hypocritical for developed democracies to lecture other countries about the value of democracy without demonstrating a commitment to democracy in their own actions.
Democratisation is the structural transition from an authoritarian government to a more democratic political regime and includes substantive political changes moving in a democratic direction. It is usually accompanied by civil society changes and, in some cases, military overthrow. Throughout history, democratisation has occurred in waves. The first wave of democratisation was the expansion of suffrage, followed by the collapse of many European democracies in the 1930s and 1940s, and the spread of democracy after World War II. Since then, there have been a number of reverse waves and relapses to authoritarianism. Although there is no universally agreed-on definition of democratisation, there is wide agreement that democracy should be seen as a normative standard of human rights and that the spread of democratic values is an important objective. There are also differing views as to what conditions are most important for democratisation, and there is no consensus that any one system should be taken as the model of democracy. There is, however, general agreement that democracies are more likely to be stable and to develop economic and social welfare benefits than non-democracies. Some scholars emphasise the importance of a middle class as a stabilizing force that guards against authoritarian tendencies. They argue that large inequalities between rich and poor exacerbate class conflicts, which can lead to the rise of authoritarian regimes by either the wealthy or the working classes. They stress the role of democratic pressures from the middle class in democratisation processes in countries as diverse as Britain, Latin America and South Korea. Others emphasise the need for a tolerant culture, which allows different points of view to be expressed. They believe that this is necessary to counterbalance authoritarian tendencies in a democratic system. They also argue that a tolerant culture is necessary for a free press, which is vital in ensuring that information is not censored and that citizens are able to participate in civic life. Finally, some scholars believe that a democratic political culture needs to be transmitted from generation to generation. They claim that a democratic mindset is learned rather than biologically inherited, and they suggest that parents can help their children develop a democratic outlook by encouraging them to read books about democracy, debate ideas with them and take part in civil-society activities. As the debate continues about how to best promote democratization, there is a growing recognition that international aid should focus on helping developing countries build their own democracy. There is a strong argument that this will be more effective than trying to push democratic reforms onto unwilling societies. As the examples of Afghanistan and Iraq show, a policy of forced democratization stands little chance of success. Moreover, it would be hypocritical for developed democracies to lecture other countries about the value of democracy without demonstrating a commitment to democracy in their own actions.