What is Democratisation?
Democratisation is the process by which a country or region moves from an authoritarian regime to a democracy. This is usually a slow and gradual process. However, there are many exceptions to this. The so-called Arab Spring, for example, saw large numbers of people take to the streets to express their dissatisfaction with the government. This “people power” is not only seen in countries which are considered to be democracies, such as Great Britain and France; it is also evident in those countries which have not traditionally been regarded as democratic, such as Turkey and Brazil.
Throughout history there have been several different definitions of democracy, but the core idea is that the majority should govern and that the right to vote should be universal. There are a number of conditions which are said to promote Democratisation; the most common is that there must be free and fair elections. However, there is a growing body of research which suggests that other factors are important. These include a high level of education, the existence of a strong civil society and the existence of a tradition of civilian control over the military.
The most controversial issue in the study of Democratisation is how exactly a democracy can be brought about. A number of studies argue that the development of a democracy is not dependent on historical or geographic circumstances, but is rather the result of a series of political interactions which are linked with economic progress and which, over time, lead to democratic transition. This theory is referred to as the ‘elite-choice’ approach. It argues that elites will only voluntarily move towards democracy if they perceive themselves as better off under the new system than under the old one.
This view is heavily criticised by those who believe that the process of democratisation is inherently unpredictable. It is suggested that this theory is oversimplified and fails to adequately account for the role of mass pressures from civil society groups, labor unions, etc. It is also argued that this theory ignores the fact that a country may not have a single, cohesive elite; it can be composed of multiple competing factions who are trying to assert their own interests and power.
Another school of thought holds that the condition of a democracy is that there is a separation between the state and the economy, which means that the government does not control the economy. This is a condition that has been referred to as “decoupling.” It is not clear, though, whether this is an essential requirement of democracy or just a desirable outcome. Another condition that has been identified is the existence of a broad coalition between the different sectors of society. This coalition is needed to form a political movement that can challenge the status quo and push for democratic change. This has been known as the “democratic coalition.” The success of this coalition is also crucial to a country’s successful Democratisation.
Democratisation is the process by which a country or region moves from an authoritarian regime to a democracy. This is usually a slow and gradual process. However, there are many exceptions to this. The so-called Arab Spring, for example, saw large numbers of people take to the streets to express their dissatisfaction with the government. This “people power” is not only seen in countries which are considered to be democracies, such as Great Britain and France; it is also evident in those countries which have not traditionally been regarded as democratic, such as Turkey and Brazil. Throughout history there have been several different definitions of democracy, but the core idea is that the majority should govern and that the right to vote should be universal. There are a number of conditions which are said to promote Democratisation; the most common is that there must be free and fair elections. However, there is a growing body of research which suggests that other factors are important. These include a high level of education, the existence of a strong civil society and the existence of a tradition of civilian control over the military. The most controversial issue in the study of Democratisation is how exactly a democracy can be brought about. A number of studies argue that the development of a democracy is not dependent on historical or geographic circumstances, but is rather the result of a series of political interactions which are linked with economic progress and which, over time, lead to democratic transition. This theory is referred to as the ‘elite-choice’ approach. It argues that elites will only voluntarily move towards democracy if they perceive themselves as better off under the new system than under the old one. This view is heavily criticised by those who believe that the process of democratisation is inherently unpredictable. It is suggested that this theory is oversimplified and fails to adequately account for the role of mass pressures from civil society groups, labor unions, etc. It is also argued that this theory ignores the fact that a country may not have a single, cohesive elite; it can be composed of multiple competing factions who are trying to assert their own interests and power. Another school of thought holds that the condition of a democracy is that there is a separation between the state and the economy, which means that the government does not control the economy. This is a condition that has been referred to as “decoupling.” It is not clear, though, whether this is an essential requirement of democracy or just a desirable outcome. Another condition that has been identified is the existence of a broad coalition between the different sectors of society. This coalition is needed to form a political movement that can challenge the status quo and push for democratic change. This has been known as the “democratic coalition.” The success of this coalition is also crucial to a country’s successful Democratisation.