What Is Democratisation?
Democratisation is the process through which a political regime becomes democratic. This is a process that has attracted a great deal of attention among scholars, particularly in light of the rapid spread of democracy worldwide in the mid-20th century. There are many ways that a country can become democratic, with the most common being a transition from an authoritarian system to electoral democracy followed by a process of consolidation. The process of Democratisation is often accompanied by a number of other changes, including the development of civil society institutions, increased levels of participation in elections, the expansion of government programs to address social concerns, and the formation of a democratic culture.
While much research remains to be done, some broad patterns are emerging. Despite differences in the specifics of each case, there are some common factors that appear to be important for democratisation:
One such factor is economic development. This seems to be crucial to the success of a democracy, as it gives citizens the means to engage in political activities and to demand that the government respond to their needs.
In addition, economic development appears to lead to a more diverse population, which can make it easier for different groups to engage in peaceful conflict resolution and find common ground on which to build a democracy. As economic development takes place, education also increases. In general, educated people are more interested in politics and are more likely to be active participants in the democratic process. They are also more likely to have values that support democratic ideals and to be willing to tolerate a diversity of views.
This leads to an expansion of public programs that address the needs of a more diverse population, such as food stamps and public school systems. As a result, there is less inequality in the distribution of resources among citizens. This, in turn, makes it easier to develop democratic cultures.
It is hard to overstate the importance of the free expression and assembly rights enshrined in Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This right allows citizens to communicate their views in whatever way they choose, including by joining political parties or interest groups, holding rallies, and protesting against decisions they oppose. While such activities may be inconvenient for some governments, they are necessary if democracy is to thrive.
There is little consensus about what conditions are most critical for democratization or exactly how these conditions function to promote it. Some researchers believe that there is no precondition for democracy, while others think that ethnic homogeneity guarantees it or that heterogeneity prohibits it. There is, however, broad agreement that if a country has experienced prolonged intractable conflict, democratization will be difficult to achieve until the stability and peace created by the negotiated settlement of those conflicts can be translated into a democratic culture. This will require the development of trust, tolerance, and a capacity for cooperation that can be reflected in democratic institutions and value systems.
Democratisation is the process through which a political regime becomes democratic. This is a process that has attracted a great deal of attention among scholars, particularly in light of the rapid spread of democracy worldwide in the mid-20th century. There are many ways that a country can become democratic, with the most common being a transition from an authoritarian system to electoral democracy followed by a process of consolidation. The process of Democratisation is often accompanied by a number of other changes, including the development of civil society institutions, increased levels of participation in elections, the expansion of government programs to address social concerns, and the formation of a democratic culture. While much research remains to be done, some broad patterns are emerging. Despite differences in the specifics of each case, there are some common factors that appear to be important for democratisation: One such factor is economic development. This seems to be crucial to the success of a democracy, as it gives citizens the means to engage in political activities and to demand that the government respond to their needs. In addition, economic development appears to lead to a more diverse population, which can make it easier for different groups to engage in peaceful conflict resolution and find common ground on which to build a democracy. As economic development takes place, education also increases. In general, educated people are more interested in politics and are more likely to be active participants in the democratic process. They are also more likely to have values that support democratic ideals and to be willing to tolerate a diversity of views. This leads to an expansion of public programs that address the needs of a more diverse population, such as food stamps and public school systems. As a result, there is less inequality in the distribution of resources among citizens. This, in turn, makes it easier to develop democratic cultures. It is hard to overstate the importance of the free expression and assembly rights enshrined in Article 20 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. This right allows citizens to communicate their views in whatever way they choose, including by joining political parties or interest groups, holding rallies, and protesting against decisions they oppose. While such activities may be inconvenient for some governments, they are necessary if democracy is to thrive. There is little consensus about what conditions are most critical for democratization or exactly how these conditions function to promote it. Some researchers believe that there is no precondition for democracy, while others think that ethnic homogeneity guarantees it or that heterogeneity prohibits it. There is, however, broad agreement that if a country has experienced prolonged intractable conflict, democratization will be difficult to achieve until the stability and peace created by the negotiated settlement of those conflicts can be translated into a democratic culture. This will require the development of trust, tolerance, and a capacity for cooperation that can be reflected in democratic institutions and value systems.