Is Democracy a Precondition for Development?
Is democracy a necessary condition for development?
In the modern and globalized world, it is common to find democratic institutions in the most economically developed countries. Democratic regimes look different all across the world, and the term itself is multi-faceted. For the sake of discussion, in its simplest terms, I will refer to democracy as a system of governance where the population that is governed elects their leaders. A substantive democracy would include more such the promotion of human rights and rule of law. As substantive democracies are so common in the developed world, it has led many scholars to ask whether democracy is a prerequisite for development. There are many examples we can look to that provide us with the easy answer of “no” such as Singapore or China. However, I would argue that democracy and development are not mutually exclusive. The sustainability of equitable development is linked to the type of governance structure. A true democracy cannot be enjoyed without a minimum standard of living, which therefore requires a certain level of development. I argue that democracy is not a necessary condition for development, however democracy and stable institutions are needed as a country’s economy matures into modernization/development. Before we can talk about the relationship between democracy and development, it is important to define the concepts and refer to them consistently as we describe the complex and elusive relationship between them. In political science, democracy is described as a type of governmental system, where by the whole of society can participate in the state’s decision-making process and keep control. Others go further, for example the Universal Declaration of Human Rights looks at promotions of rights and freedom of speech as indispensable preconditions of democracy. Democracy however is not just an institutional system. It is also a part of culture and an embedded idea in society[i]. For example, a tolerance
In the modern and globalized world, it is common to find democratic institutions in the most economically developed countries. Democratic regimes look different all across the world, and the term itself is multi-faceted. For the sake of discussion, in its simplest terms, I will refer to democracy as a system of governance where the population that is governed elects their leaders. A substantive democracy would include more such the promotion of human rights and rule of law. As substantive democracies are so common in the developed world, it has led many scholars to ask whether democracy is a prerequisite for development. There are many examples we can look to that provide us with the easy answer of “no” such as Singapore or China. However, I would argue that democracy and development are not mutually exclusive. The sustainability of equitable development is linked to the type of governance structure. A true democracy cannot be enjoyed without a minimum standard of living, which therefore requires a certain level of development. I argue that democracy is not a necessary condition for development, however democracy and stable institutions are needed as a country’s economy matures into modernization/development. Before we can talk about the relationship between democracy and development, it is important to define the concepts and refer to them consistently as we describe the complex and elusive relationship between them. In political science, democracy is described as a type of governmental system, where by the whole of society can participate in the state’s decision-making process and keep control. Others go further, for example the Universal Declaration of Human Rights looks at promotions of rights and freedom of speech as indispensable preconditions of democracy. Democracy however is not just an institutional system. It is also a part of culture and an embedded idea in society[i]. For example, a tolerance