How Does a Nation Become a Democracy?
Democratisation is the process by which people gain political rights and freedoms. These include free and fair elections, civil society, rule of law, and human rights protections. A country’s history and socio-economic context can play a role in the path that democracy takes.
Democracies can be pushed by the outside world, for example when former colonial powers give up their empires and democratically govern their territories. However, a more common approach is for nations to gradually transition to democracy – this is often called’soft power’. This can be done through a variety of mechanisms, including the promotion of civic participation and institutions, the development of international cooperation, and the provision of foreign aid.
While there are many ways that countries can democratise, the most successful democratic experiences tend to share certain characteristics. These include:
In the past, most democratic processes were evolutionary and occurred in stages. This was partly driven by the fact that traditional and mainly landed elites opened up their polities to emerging groups only when these were perceived as politically fit, that is, possessing appropriate social-economic values and a stake in the system. In Britain, for example, where a relatively broad range of social-class groups were included in the parliamentary system, the process was conducted in stages: Firstly urban middle class males were included in 1832; working-class men were introduced in 1867, 1884 and 1918; and women were admitted to municipal politics in 1869 and to full citizenship in 1918.
It’s also important to understand that a democratisation process doesn’t happen in a vacuum and is often influenced by external factors such as global economic developments and the existence of non-governmental organisations that can promote political change. A successful democratisation process usually depends on the availability of these conditions as well as the capacity of a nation to make its own political decisions.
Democratisation can have positive effects on a country, for example it can empower citizens and lead to greater socio-economic progress. It can also encourage foreign investment and boost economic growth. Finally, it can lead to more responsive governments that are able to meet the demands of their citizens for economic and social justice.
While there is much debate over the reasons behind a country’s democratisation, there is some consensus that it is correlated with economic development, less likely in Muslim societies, and more probable in states with higher levels of education and lower military spending as a percentage of government budget. It is also associated with better civil rights protections, such as freedom of the press, free assembly and demonstration, and reasonable equality in governmental representation.
Grasping the major theories of democratisation will allow you to cultivate a deeper understanding of historic and ongoing democratisation processes, and the factors that help or hinder them. This knowledge can be used to develop more effective strategies to support democratisation in your own countries. It can also improve your ability to participate in democracy, whether you are a citizen of a democratic nation or an advocate of its spread worldwide.
Democratisation is the process by which people gain political rights and freedoms. These include free and fair elections, civil society, rule of law, and human rights protections. A country’s history and socio-economic context can play a role in the path that democracy takes. Democracies can be pushed by the outside world, for example when former colonial powers give up their empires and democratically govern their territories. However, a more common approach is for nations to gradually transition to democracy – this is often called’soft power’. This can be done through a variety of mechanisms, including the promotion of civic participation and institutions, the development of international cooperation, and the provision of foreign aid. While there are many ways that countries can democratise, the most successful democratic experiences tend to share certain characteristics. These include: In the past, most democratic processes were evolutionary and occurred in stages. This was partly driven by the fact that traditional and mainly landed elites opened up their polities to emerging groups only when these were perceived as politically fit, that is, possessing appropriate social-economic values and a stake in the system. In Britain, for example, where a relatively broad range of social-class groups were included in the parliamentary system, the process was conducted in stages: Firstly urban middle class males were included in 1832; working-class men were introduced in 1867, 1884 and 1918; and women were admitted to municipal politics in 1869 and to full citizenship in 1918. It’s also important to understand that a democratisation process doesn’t happen in a vacuum and is often influenced by external factors such as global economic developments and the existence of non-governmental organisations that can promote political change. A successful democratisation process usually depends on the availability of these conditions as well as the capacity of a nation to make its own political decisions. Democratisation can have positive effects on a country, for example it can empower citizens and lead to greater socio-economic progress. It can also encourage foreign investment and boost economic growth. Finally, it can lead to more responsive governments that are able to meet the demands of their citizens for economic and social justice. While there is much debate over the reasons behind a country’s democratisation, there is some consensus that it is correlated with economic development, less likely in Muslim societies, and more probable in states with higher levels of education and lower military spending as a percentage of government budget. It is also associated with better civil rights protections, such as freedom of the press, free assembly and demonstration, and reasonable equality in governmental representation. Grasping the major theories of democratisation will allow you to cultivate a deeper understanding of historic and ongoing democratisation processes, and the factors that help or hinder them. This knowledge can be used to develop more effective strategies to support democratisation in your own countries. It can also improve your ability to participate in democracy, whether you are a citizen of a democratic nation or an advocate of its spread worldwide.