What is democracy and who says is the question i had to ask myself when writing this paper. You would think that the promotion of democracy would be a no brainier but i found the act of promotion to be quite tricky.
Should the international community promote democracy in authoritarian states?
Several major challenges in implementing democracy lie in the inappropriate and inadequate international approach in how democracy development is supported. The way that international support is given is not always compatible with the fundamental values of democracy itself. The way to determine if the approach was appropriate and adequate is to ask a few simple questions. Are the mechanisms used and procedures that were followed democratic? Does the process through which international support is delivered have as its ultimate goal in a democratic outcome or is support given for selfish reasons? If the Answer to these questions is no then the support for democracy is likely to become problematic.
Using force is very often counter-productive and inconsistent with the values of democracy. Democracy promotion is often confused with regime change, and even with military force to remove a regime. Such an approach has played into the hands of those who are resisting necessary democratic reforms by playing up sentiments against perceived foreign intrusion in violation of the sovereignty of their countries.
Democracy promotion is often seen to be done for selfish reasons and is often accompanied by what many consider to be double standards since only what we call unfriendly regimes are targeted while friendly tyrants are treated much more leniently. For example Syngman Rhee of South Korea, Hosni Mubarak of Egypt and Saddam Hussein of Iraq are but a few of the dictators that have either been given military or monetary aid, or directly been put in power by the United States. The article “what democracy is…and is not” states “like all regimes, democracies depend upon the presence of rulers. What distinguishes democratic rulers from nondemocratic ones are the norms that condition how the former come to power and the practices that hold them accountable for their actions” There is no democracy in placing someone into power, by doing so the procedures that were used were not democratic and seen as hypocritical. Such practices in the conduct of international cooperation by established democracies are giving democracy and democracy support a bad name.
I believe that democracy should be promoted and is important to the future. Democracy does not come by itself and it cannot be imported from abroad, let alone be implanted by outside military force. It has to grow from within countries by gradually institutionalizing and creating political processes and spreading universal values such as respect for diversity, human rights, justice, freedom, that are essential to democracy and it growth. A good example of this is brought forth in the article "Why Middle Eastern Studies Missed the Arab Spring." “When given real electoral choices, Arabs turned out to vote in large numbers.” “We also understood that Arabs did not passively accept authoritarian rule.” “A preliminary review of the unfolding revolts suggests that two factors drive how Arab militaries react to public unrest; the social composition of both the regime and its military and the level of institutionalization and professionalism in the army itself.” The desire for change is already there and will be acted upon gradually there is no need for other countries to step in and force the issue. If and only if the people rise up and ask for help, then outside forces should intervene accordingly.
I believe that democracy should be promoted and is important to the future. Democracy does not come by itself and it cannot be imported from abroad, let alone be implanted by outside military force. It has to grow from within countries by gradually institutionalizing and creating political processes and spreading universal values such as respect for diversity, human rights, justice, freedom, that are essential to democracy and it growth. A good example of this is brought forth in the article "Why Middle Eastern Studies Missed the Arab Spring." “When given real electoral choices, Arabs turned out to vote in large numbers.” “We also understood that Arabs did not passively accept authoritarian rule.” “A preliminary review of the unfolding revolts suggests that two factors drive how Arab militaries react to public unrest; the social composition of both the regime and its military and the level of institutionalization and professionalism in the army itself.” The desire for change is already there and will be acted upon gradually there is no need for other countries to step in and force the issue. If and only if the people rise up and ask for help, then outside forces should intervene accordingly.
The advancement of democracy is not only a goal all its own, but it is also linked to peace building, by practicing the resolution of conflicts non-violently, to the consolidation of all human rights, through the application of the rule of law and social justice, and to economic growth and development.
Schmitter, Philippe C... "What Democracy Is...and Is Not." Annual Editions: Comparative Politics 12/13. Ed. Fiona Yap. McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print.
Gause III, F. Gregory. "Why Middle Eastern Studies Missed the Arab Spring." Annual Editions: Comparative Politics 12/13. Ed. Fiona Yap. McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print.
Schmitter, Philippe C... "What Democracy Is...and Is Not." Annual Editions: Comparative Politics 12/13. Ed. Fiona Yap. McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print.
Gause III, F. Gregory. "Why Middle Eastern Studies Missed the Arab Spring." Annual Editions: Comparative Politics 12/13. Ed. Fiona Yap. McGraw-Hill, 2012. Print.
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