What is Democratisation?
Democratisation is the structural transition of government from authoritarian rule to more democratic political institutions and processes. There is a wide range of theories about what causes it and a lot of debate about the factors that influence (promote or restrict) democratisation. It is widely agreed, however, that there are many paths to democracy and that the process is complex, arduous, conflictual and often full of reversals.
Moreover, it is widely accepted that democratisation must be organically grown within a society and not instigated from outside by foreign governments or the United Nations, as has too often proved hazardous. The basic premise is that sustainable pro-democratic change requires first of all creating an educated, enfranchised middle class who are willing to demand greater influence over governance issues. This will require economic development and a level of social and cultural maturation that can allow people to grasp democratic ideas, values and practices as not threatening but complementary to their traditional referents of identity and belief systems about the common good.
It is also widely accepted that it will be easier for a society to move to democracy if the transition is smooth, orderly and peaceful rather than chaotic, violent or bloody. This is why there has been much emphasis in the literature on the importance of economic development and reducing poverty as well as training civil servants to be more transparent and accountable to the public.
The idea that democracy is a “third way” between authoritarianism and fascism or communism has been rejected as simplistic by scholars such as Dankwart A Rustow and Guillermo O’Donnell and Philippe C Schmitter in their classic book Transitions from Authoritarian Rule: Tentative Conclusions about Uncertain Democracies. Other factors that are frequently discussed include the extent to which a society is urban, the degree of religiosity, and the existence of a tradition of civilian control over military affairs.
Democracy, like all human institutions, can be fragile. Even the most advanced democracies are prone to periodic crises. The most common one is the threat of terrorism, but there are other examples including military coups and economic crisis.
There is also a growing recognition that if democracy is to survive it must be continually renewed. This can be done through a variety of means, most importantly by continuing to increase civic participation and encouraging people to get involved in their local communities. For example, volunteering, such as the action taken by these volunteers cleaning up after Hurricane Sandy in 2012, is a powerful means of promoting democracy.
There is still a great deal of debate about what defines democracy and how the concept has evolved over time, but it is generally agreed that a key element is popular sovereignty – that is, the principle that the decisions of the majority should govern. The fact that more and more people are becoming aware of this, combined with increasing pressure for greater democracy, can only be positive for the future of humanity.
Democratisation is the structural transition of government from authoritarian rule to more democratic political institutions and processes. There is a wide range of theories about what causes it and a lot of debate about the factors that influence (promote or restrict) democratisation. It is widely agreed, however, that there are many paths to democracy and that the process is complex, arduous, conflictual and often full of reversals. Moreover, it is widely accepted that democratisation must be organically grown within a society and not instigated from outside by foreign governments or the United Nations, as has too often proved hazardous. The basic premise is that sustainable pro-democratic change requires first of all creating an educated, enfranchised middle class who are willing to demand greater influence over governance issues. This will require economic development and a level of social and cultural maturation that can allow people to grasp democratic ideas, values and practices as not threatening but complementary to their traditional referents of identity and belief systems about the common good. It is also widely accepted that it will be easier for a society to move to democracy if the transition is smooth, orderly and peaceful rather than chaotic, violent or bloody. This is why there has been much emphasis in the literature on the importance of economic development and reducing poverty as well as training civil servants to be more transparent and accountable to the public. The idea that democracy is a “third way” between authoritarianism and fascism or communism has been rejected as simplistic by scholars such as Dankwart A Rustow and Guillermo O’Donnell and Philippe C Schmitter in their classic book Transitions from Authoritarian Rule: Tentative Conclusions about Uncertain Democracies. Other factors that are frequently discussed include the extent to which a society is urban, the degree of religiosity, and the existence of a tradition of civilian control over military affairs. Democracy, like all human institutions, can be fragile. Even the most advanced democracies are prone to periodic crises. The most common one is the threat of terrorism, but there are other examples including military coups and economic crisis. There is also a growing recognition that if democracy is to survive it must be continually renewed. This can be done through a variety of means, most importantly by continuing to increase civic participation and encouraging people to get involved in their local communities. For example, volunteering, such as the action taken by these volunteers cleaning up after Hurricane Sandy in 2012, is a powerful means of promoting democracy. There is still a great deal of debate about what defines democracy and how the concept has evolved over time, but it is generally agreed that a key element is popular sovereignty – that is, the principle that the decisions of the majority should govern. The fact that more and more people are becoming aware of this, combined with increasing pressure for greater democracy, can only be positive for the future of humanity.