Reconsidering Democratization and Security: Linkages, Lessons Learned and Prospects for the Future

Posted on 2009-11-26.

von Kathrin Brockmann, Christian Achrainer (eds.)

One of the major controversial debates of our time concentrates on the question if and how democratization can contribute to maintaining or strengthening security and stability. While the democratic peace thesis, holding that democratic countries do not enter into violent conflict with one another, suggests a positive correlation between democracy and security, countries in democratic transition are often prone to conflict and instability. A booming concept in the 1990s, the idea of external democracy promotion today is widely contested. Measures range from supporting civil society actors and democratic thinking elites to military regime change.

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Strategies have varied among actors, with the US-driven “freedom agenda” and the EU’s Neighbourhood Policy as two examples. Interference of external actors ultimately raises the question if democracy can be imposed or if it has to grow from within a society. Which role do socio-economic, cultural or historical aspects play? Are secularism and democracy inextricably linked or can there be an “Islamic democracy”? Which are the necessary preconditions for democratization efforts to succeed and what are “lessons learned” from past experiences? Is democracy at all the one-size-fits-all solution?

 

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