Democratisation
Democratisation, or democratic transition, refers to a structural government change towards a more democratic political regime. It requires substantive political changes moving in a democratic direction, such as free and fair elections; freedom of thought, expression and congregation; the separation of powers and an independent judiciary; a stable and functioning rule of law; the promotion and protection of human rights; and the equal status of citizens before the state and the community.
Democracies have become more common than ever before in the world. This has happened over the last two hundred years, with the greatest increase occurring since the end of World War II. Currently, around 40% of the world’s states are democracies, which is up from 20 in 1950 and 100 by 1970. The number is still growing today.
There are a number of reasons why democracy is seen as the most desirable form of governance for nations. It is generally considered that democracy promotes economic and personal development; provides the most effective means for public policy making; is more tolerant, humane and equitable; ensures the equal freedom of all citizens to fulfil their potential and live in dignity; protects against state manipulation and arbitrary impositions; and can provide a framework for international cooperation and peaceful conflict resolution.
It is also often argued that democracy is a social contract to which most people, in a natural state of affairs, would agree collectively. This argument is based on utilitarian considerations: that democracy creates the greatest happiness for the greatest number; promotes individual and collective economic progress; is more efficient than any other system of governance; it provides a better means of protecting minorities and promoting equality; and it allows for gradual revolutionary change.
The idea that democracy is something that can be imposed from the outside has received some support in the past, with the example of Japan and Germany in the immediate post-World War II period being cited as examples of this. However, there is general agreement that a successful democratisation process cannot be imposed from the top down, and that a democracy must emerge from within a society.
Theories about democratisation range from the proposition that a democratic process is inevitable with modernisation, to the contention that a society must first achieve favourable civil-society changes before it can even consider embracing democracy, and that there is a necessary level of social maturity for citizens to grasp and accept democratic ideas, values and practices.
In addition, it is generally accepted that the process of democratisation is a long-term undertaking, with different societies requiring different approaches and timeframes in order to become fully democratic. The process can be facilitated or hindered by both domestic and external factors, with some of the most influential being economic, political and social. Understanding the major theories about democratisation can facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of both historical and ongoing democratisation processes and prepare you for evaluating democracy in your own country and context.
Democratisation, or democratic transition, refers to a structural government change towards a more democratic political regime. It requires substantive political changes moving in a democratic direction, such as free and fair elections; freedom of thought, expression and congregation; the separation of powers and an independent judiciary; a stable and functioning rule of law; the promotion and protection of human rights; and the equal status of citizens before the state and the community. Democracies have become more common than ever before in the world. This has happened over the last two hundred years, with the greatest increase occurring since the end of World War II. Currently, around 40% of the world’s states are democracies, which is up from 20 in 1950 and 100 by 1970. The number is still growing today. There are a number of reasons why democracy is seen as the most desirable form of governance for nations. It is generally considered that democracy promotes economic and personal development; provides the most effective means for public policy making; is more tolerant, humane and equitable; ensures the equal freedom of all citizens to fulfil their potential and live in dignity; protects against state manipulation and arbitrary impositions; and can provide a framework for international cooperation and peaceful conflict resolution. It is also often argued that democracy is a social contract to which most people, in a natural state of affairs, would agree collectively. This argument is based on utilitarian considerations: that democracy creates the greatest happiness for the greatest number; promotes individual and collective economic progress; is more efficient than any other system of governance; it provides a better means of protecting minorities and promoting equality; and it allows for gradual revolutionary change. The idea that democracy is something that can be imposed from the outside has received some support in the past, with the example of Japan and Germany in the immediate post-World War II period being cited as examples of this. However, there is general agreement that a successful democratisation process cannot be imposed from the top down, and that a democracy must emerge from within a society. Theories about democratisation range from the proposition that a democratic process is inevitable with modernisation, to the contention that a society must first achieve favourable civil-society changes before it can even consider embracing democracy, and that there is a necessary level of social maturity for citizens to grasp and accept democratic ideas, values and practices. In addition, it is generally accepted that the process of democratisation is a long-term undertaking, with different societies requiring different approaches and timeframes in order to become fully democratic. The process can be facilitated or hindered by both domestic and external factors, with some of the most influential being economic, political and social. Understanding the major theories about democratisation can facilitate a more comprehensive understanding of both historical and ongoing democratisation processes and prepare you for evaluating democracy in your own country and context.