What is Democratisation?
Democratisation is the process of substantive political change in a direction towards democratic rule. It is a broad term and includes both historical and cultural factors. Some scholars have cited economic, historical, and cultural factors as influencing democratization. Others have stressed socioeconomic and participatory outcomes as the primary indicators of democracy. There are many approaches to achieving full democratisation. Some have focused on leadership and others on structural causes. Several have also considered the relationship between war and democratization.
In the past decades, many countries in the global South have experienced a transition away from authoritarian regimes. In addition, new political spaces have been created for the marginalised to express their demands and opinions. However, such spaces have been manipulated to support authoritarianism. This has led to a wide range of negative outcomes, including apathy, gender disparities, and inequalities. It has also eroded the legitimacy of leaders.
Throughout history, political systems have been subject to a series of waves of democratisation. These waves have sometimes been followed by waves of de-democratisation. During the past century, three main waves have been identified. These are the first wave (the emergence of democracy in Western Europe in the 19th century), the second wave (the democratisation of former Eastern Bloc nations in the 1960s), and the third wave (the democratisation of Latin America in the 1980s).
The first wave was preceded by a series of dictatorships during the Interwar period. It was during this period that Otto Bismarck introduced social insurance to pacify workers, preempt sympathy for social democrats. The second wave was started by the reformist governments of World War II, and the third wave is being experienced in many Latin American and Asian countries. These waves are associated with a broader range of changes in power structures, including the establishment of civil society, the reorganization of legal rules, and the rise of public expectations of government responsibility.
In the past decade, democratisation has also been associated with the natural expansion of programs and policies favouring the poor. Redistribution, which was not a reality in the first decade of democratization, has begun to make some inroads. Effective redistribution began with the stabilization of inflation in 1995, and increased broader public transfer programs in 2001. Despite the recent progress, this phenomenon has not reached its full potential yet. In some parts of the developing world, such as the Muslim Middle East, this has not occurred.
Another factor that has been credited with facilitating democratisation is education. People with higher levels of education tend to give more money to civic institutions than those with less. This is especially true for secondary enrolments. The effect is smaller in the most developed OECD member nations, but it remains important. This is partly due to relative homogeneity, which reduces the impact of education on democratisation.
A related factor is the association network. This is a social movement network that is especially strong in rural political arenas. It mirrors corporatist and populist structures. Its influence is especially strong in areas with a highly unequal distribution of wealth and power. This can have a significant effect on democratisation in such areas.
Democratisation is the process of substantive political change in a direction towards democratic rule. It is a broad term and includes both historical and cultural factors. Some scholars have cited economic, historical, and cultural factors as influencing democratization. Others have stressed socioeconomic and participatory outcomes as the primary indicators of democracy. There are many approaches to achieving full democratisation. Some have focused on leadership and others on structural causes. Several have also considered the relationship between war and democratization. In the past decades, many countries in the global South have experienced a transition away from authoritarian regimes. In addition, new political spaces have been created for the marginalised to express their demands and opinions. However, such spaces have been manipulated to support authoritarianism. This has led to a wide range of negative outcomes, including apathy, gender disparities, and inequalities. It has also eroded the legitimacy of leaders. Throughout history, political systems have been subject to a series of waves of democratisation. These waves have sometimes been followed by waves of de-democratisation. During the past century, three main waves have been identified. These are the first wave (the emergence of democracy in Western Europe in the 19th century), the second wave (the democratisation of former Eastern Bloc nations in the 1960s), and the third wave (the democratisation of Latin America in the 1980s). The first wave was preceded by a series of dictatorships during the Interwar period. It was during this period that Otto Bismarck introduced social insurance to pacify workers, preempt sympathy for social democrats. The second wave was started by the reformist governments of World War II, and the third wave is being experienced in many Latin American and Asian countries. These waves are associated with a broader range of changes in power structures, including the establishment of civil society, the reorganization of legal rules, and the rise of public expectations of government responsibility. In the past decade, democratisation has also been associated with the natural expansion of programs and policies favouring the poor. Redistribution, which was not a reality in the first decade of democratization, has begun to make some inroads. Effective redistribution began with the stabilization of inflation in 1995, and increased broader public transfer programs in 2001. Despite the recent progress, this phenomenon has not reached its full potential yet. In some parts of the developing world, such as the Muslim Middle East, this has not occurred. Another factor that has been credited with facilitating democratisation is education. People with higher levels of education tend to give more money to civic institutions than those with less. This is especially true for secondary enrolments. The effect is smaller in the most developed OECD member nations, but it remains important. This is partly due to relative homogeneity, which reduces the impact of education on democratisation. A related factor is the association network. This is a social movement network that is especially strong in rural political arenas. It mirrors corporatist and populist structures. Its influence is especially strong in areas with a highly unequal distribution of wealth and power. This can have a significant effect on democratisation in such areas.