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Democracy Promotion As Foreign Policy: A Comprehensive Guide

John Keats

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Democracy Promotion as Foreign Policy: Temporal Othering in International Relations (Interventions)

by Dick Simpson

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Language	:	English
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Democracy promotion has become a central pillar of many countries' foreign policies in recent decades. The idea of promoting democracy abroad is rooted in the belief that democratic governments are more likely to be peaceful, prosperous, and respectful of human rights than non-democratic governments.

The United States has been a leading proponent of democracy promotion since the end of World War II. In 1983, President Ronald Reagan famously called on the United States to "support the cause of democracy and freedom around the world." Since then, the United States has spent billions of dollars on democracy promotion programs around the world.

Other countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada, and Germany, have also been active in promoting democracy abroad. In 2000, the United Nations adopted a resolution calling for the "promotion of democracy and the strengthening of democratic institutions." This resolution has been reaffirmed by the UN General Assembly every year since its adoption.

The Evolution of Democracy Promotion

The concept of democracy promotion has evolved over time. In the early days of the Cold War, democracy promotion was seen as a way to counter the spread of communism. In the 1980s and 1990s, democracy promotion was seen as a way to promote economic development and stability. In recent years, democracy promotion has been seen as a way to promote human rights and prevent conflict.

The evolution of democracy promotion has been accompanied by a shift in the way that it is implemented. In the early days of democracy promotion, the United States and other countries often used military force to promote democracy. In recent years, however, there has been a shift towards using non-military tools, such as economic aid, technical assistance, and diplomatic pressure.

The Challenges of Democracy Promotion

Despite the progress that has been made, democracy promotion remains a challenging endeavor. There are a number of factors that can make it difficult to promote democracy abroad, including:

Cultural differences: Democracy is a Western concept that may not be easily understood or accepted in other cultures.
Economic disparities: Poverty and inequality can make it difficult for democracy to take root.
Political instability: War and conflict can make it difficult to establish and maintain democratic institutions.
Authoritarian regimes: Many countries are ruled by authoritarian regimes that are resistant to change.

The Role of Different Actors in Democracy Promotion

A variety of actors can play a role in democracy promotion, including:

Governments: Governments can provide financial and technical assistance to democracy promotion efforts. They can also use diplomatic pressure to encourage authoritarian regimes to respect human rights and open up their political systems.
International organizations: International organizations, such as the United Nations and the European Union, can provide financial and technical assistance to democracy promotion efforts. They can also help to coordinate the efforts of different actors.
Non-governmental organizations (NGOs): NGOs can provide a variety of services to support democracy promotion, such as voter education, election monitoring, and human rights training.
Businesses: Businesses can support democracy promotion by investing in developing countries and by promoting good governance practices.
Individuals: Individuals can support democracy promotion by donating money to NGOs, volunteering their time, and advocating for pro-democracy policies.

Democracy promotion is a complex and challenging endeavor, but it is an important one. Democracy is the best way to ensure that governments are responsive to the needs of their people and that human rights are respected. By working together, governments, international organizations, NGOs, businesses, and individuals can help to promote democracy around the world.