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Reflections on Democratization

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2013

William W. Boyer
William W. Boyer*
Affiliation:
University of Delaware
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Extract

Humankind is in the midst of largescale transition marked by telling differences but profound similarities. Throughout this world, political systems are becoming more participatory and less authoritarian. For want of better or more accurate terminology, this worldwide phenomenon generally is termed the process of “democratization,” which may be defined as the process of moving from an authoritarian to a democratic political system.

We political scientists in the United States have taken U.S. democracy for granted. We have also observed the difficulties and many failed attempts over time in achieving democracy in other parts of the world. Now, given the worldwide democratization movement, we are increasingly being asked—rightly or wrongly—for our advice. And so we are called upon to be reflective, analytical, and introspective about democracy.

Type
Research Article
Information
PS: Political Science & Politics , Volume 25 , Issue 3 , September 1992 , pp. 517 - 522
Copyright
Copyright © The American Political Science Association 1992

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Footnotes

*

The author wishes to thank his University of Delaware colleagues: Nancy E. Boyer, Ph.D. student, and Professors Kurt Burch, John Deiner, and Marian Palley, who read and made valuable comments on a draft of this paper.

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