What is Democratisation?
Democratisation is the process of changing a society from authoritarian rule to some form of democracy. It is a process which takes time and has many hazards along the way. There are a number of theories about what makes democratisation work, such as the idea that economic development creates an educated middle class which has the incentive to press for greater influence in governance issues and the capacity to do so. This is a key factor in the success of democratization processes in countries as diverse as Britain, the United States, Latin America, South Korea and China. The emergence of a large, democratic middle class has been seen as the most critical element in achieving long-term stability and sustainability in a country’s politics.
It is also widely argued that a stable middle class acts as a check against reverting to authoritarian tendencies. This is because the middle class balances the power of the wealthy and poor. They have a vested interest in economic security and stability, which is best achieved through the rule of law and accountability of government. In this way, the middle class provides a counterbalance to the tendencies of both the rich and poor to impose their will on others. Middle-class pressures have been critical in the democratization processes in the developed world as well as in developing countries.
Another theory holds that democratization is driven by the need to deal with economic inequalities and social risks. As a result, political and economic reforms that promote redistribution of income and power reduce the incentives for repressive rulers to impose their will on citizens by force. This has been a central argument in the successful democratization of the industrialized countries of Europe and North America, as well as in the post-World War II democratization of Germany and Japan.
In this view, the success of a democracy depends on its ability to manage political and economic inequalities and protect civil liberties. It also requires that governments have a clear sense of purpose and a willingness to engage with the wider community. This is the basis for the concept of a ‘citizen’s contract’ between the state and the people. The citizen’s contract entails the promise of equal opportunity and the recognition that public policies should reflect the views of the wider community.
Democratization has been observed to occur in waves, with some countries progressing more rapidly than others. A country’s democratization may be considered complete once there is little or no risk of a return to authoritarianism. This can be measured in different ways, but one common indicator is when there have been two consecutive turnovers of power between competing political groups. This shows that the major political forces are willing to settle their disputes peacefully and accept spending periods of time out of office. Other indicators are less concrete but still useful, such as when ruling groups have to compromise on policy to gain votes in a parliament.
Democratisation is the process of changing a society from authoritarian rule to some form of democracy. It is a process which takes time and has many hazards along the way. There are a number of theories about what makes democratisation work, such as the idea that economic development creates an educated middle class which has the incentive to press for greater influence in governance issues and the capacity to do so. This is a key factor in the success of democratization processes in countries as diverse as Britain, the United States, Latin America, South Korea and China. The emergence of a large, democratic middle class has been seen as the most critical element in achieving long-term stability and sustainability in a country’s politics. It is also widely argued that a stable middle class acts as a check against reverting to authoritarian tendencies. This is because the middle class balances the power of the wealthy and poor. They have a vested interest in economic security and stability, which is best achieved through the rule of law and accountability of government. In this way, the middle class provides a counterbalance to the tendencies of both the rich and poor to impose their will on others. Middle-class pressures have been critical in the democratization processes in the developed world as well as in developing countries. Another theory holds that democratization is driven by the need to deal with economic inequalities and social risks. As a result, political and economic reforms that promote redistribution of income and power reduce the incentives for repressive rulers to impose their will on citizens by force. This has been a central argument in the successful democratization of the industrialized countries of Europe and North America, as well as in the post-World War II democratization of Germany and Japan. In this view, the success of a democracy depends on its ability to manage political and economic inequalities and protect civil liberties. It also requires that governments have a clear sense of purpose and a willingness to engage with the wider community. This is the basis for the concept of a ‘citizen’s contract’ between the state and the people. The citizen’s contract entails the promise of equal opportunity and the recognition that public policies should reflect the views of the wider community. Democratization has been observed to occur in waves, with some countries progressing more rapidly than others. A country’s democratization may be considered complete once there is little or no risk of a return to authoritarianism. This can be measured in different ways, but one common indicator is when there have been two consecutive turnovers of power between competing political groups. This shows that the major political forces are willing to settle their disputes peacefully and accept spending periods of time out of office. Other indicators are less concrete but still useful, such as when ruling groups have to compromise on policy to gain votes in a parliament.