Democracy Promotion and Pluralism —Mapping Study

Democracy Promotion and Pluralism —Mapping Study Gerd Schönwälder1 November 2018 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY add value to or help address gaps in this practice. Based on this discussion, the concluding section The purpose of this study is to help the Global Centre explains under what conditions the GCP’s pluralism for Pluralism (GCP) explore the value-added of its perspective and the current practice of democracy pluralism perspective with respect to the field of promotion could be complementary. practice of democracy promotion. There is obviously some overlap between the two concepts, but there are also some important distinctions, both of which I. INTRODUCTION this paper helps to map out. The introductory section provides a concise overview of the concept Democracy Promotion: A Quick Tour of democracy promotion and some of the principal d’Horizon debates in the field, followed by a brief discussion of how the two concepts overlap and differ. The body Democracy promotion,2 in essence, is a set of of the paper is concerned with how the concept of policies designed to accelerate the transition from democracy promotion has been implemented by authoritarian to more transparent and accountable some of the principal actors in the field—Canada, systems of government by providing external the European Union, the United States and the support to pro-democratic actors, institutions and Democratic Emerging Powers or DEPs (India, Brazil, processes.3 Subsequent to the return to democratic South Africa, Indonesia and Turkey)—as well as how rule in most of Latin America during the 1980s and the GCP’s pluralism approach could contribute to, 1990s, these policies received a further boost with This paper is part of a new publication series from the Global Centre for Pluralism titled Intersections: Practicing Pluralism. Designed for practitioners, each paper maps an established field of practice or perspective on diversity, examining its conceptual foundations and applications to identify potential intersections with pluralism. By helping practitioners apply a pluralism lens to their work and by showing how many fields of practice already contribute to pluralism, our aim is to open a new global conversation about living peacefully with diversity. Democracy Promotion and Pluralism—Mapping Study the end of the Cold War in 1989–90 and the ensuing Some other debates in the democracy promotion “third wave” of democracy that was sweeping across field appear settled.8 No one seriously disputes Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia.4 Following the anymore that democracy cannot be “exported,” that lead of the US, democracy promotion is now part idealized “blueprints” of democratic institutions or of the foreign policies of many European countries, processes need to be avoided, and that the impetus Canada and that of multilateral organizations such for democratization needs to come from within. as the United Nations (UN) and the European Union Still, democracy promoters continue to struggle in (EU). Aside from bilateral and multilateral donors, making their support relevant to often very complex which this paper concentrates on, there is also a contexts and in reaching out to the many new actors dense network of non-governmental pro-democracy that have sprung up in recent transition processes. organizations.5 Their greatest challenges are getting out of their comfort zone, continuously refining and adapting After more than 25 years, democracy promotion their approaches and closely monitoring “what remains controversial. This is due, in part, to works” and what doesn’t.9 Another even bigger the fact that democracy promoters—chiefly the challenge is the strengthening of authoritarian and US but also others—have let their economic and semi-authoritarian regimes the world over. China, strategic interests interfere with the support of in particular, is offering a seeming alternative to democratization processes elsewhere, to the point the democratic model of the West, coupled with of trying to impose democracy by force.6 As a result, incentives in the shape of developmental assistance, democracy as such has acquired a bad name and more trade or enhanced economic cooperation. This is regarded with distrust by many. But democracy is of particular interest to the many countries whose promotion is also controversial because the notion of transition to more democratic forms of rule appear democracy itself is. Aside from different expressions stalled or are going backward.10 The following of representative democracy, say, between section will explore the particular relevance of the continental Europe and the Anglo-Saxon countries, GCP’s pluralism approach in this context. there are many competing definitions of democracy proper. One principal controversy revolves around Pluralism vs. Democracy: Overlaps and the distinction between liberal democracy on the one Distinctions hand and other more “extensive” or “substantive” forms on the other.7 Critics of Western-style Pluralism and democracy are often mentioned in democracy have charged that representative the same breath, and indeed, there is a good deal of democracy as currently practiced doesn’t allow for overlap between the two concepts. When one speaks full and equal participation of all citizens, pointing of “pluralist Western democracies,” one thinks of to widespread disenchantment with the political political systems characterized by multiple and establishment as their main evidence (in turn, the often conflicting viewpoints that are expressed and defenders of modern representative democracy point debated freely, strong and independent media that to the dangers of populism). give voice to different opinions, a multitude of civic 2 Intersections Global Centre for Pluralism Democracy Promotion and Pluralism—Mapping Study associations giving life to a vibrant civil society, and their needs. Ordinary citizens are encouraged to a diversity of political parties that compete for the vote, but not to mobilize and make demands outside support of voters in free and fair elections. of clearly delimited institutional channels. Yet, beneath the surface there are important For democracy promoters, a polyarchy lens has some distinctions rooted in conflicting views of the distinct advantages, notably that of a straightforward nature of democratic and pluralist societies, the exit strategy, once the first free and fair elections exercise of political as well as social, economic and (or the first successful change of government cultural rights, and the desirability and feasibility by democratic means) have been accomplished. of social and political change. While the democracy Anything outsiders can hope to achieve is done at promoters examined in this paper do express this point; what remains is for the locals to sort support for pluralism, they typically understand out. In much the same way, a polyarchy lens can it as either political pluralism, within certain be a defence against the accusation of meddling in agreed boundaries (e.g., conservatism vs. social another country’s sovereign affairs: by insisting on democracy, liberalism, etc.), or as associational respect for the “rules of the game”—and nothing pluralism (e.g., the activities of churches, sports more—adherents of polyarchy can claim that they clubs and professional associations in civil society). are non-partisan and don’t take sides in a country’s By contrast, more extensive notions of pluralism, internal struggles.12 Therefore, it shouldn’t come as including and particularly those centred on ethnic a surprise when (Western) democracy promoters or religious diversity and associated with political pack their bags soon after previously authoritarian mobilization or claims-making by specific groups, or conflict-ridden countries have completed their are generally discouraged since they are seen as a transition to democratic rule, often at a point when threat to democratic stability. the stability, and sometimes the very survival of the newly democratic regimes, is still anything but This restrictive view of pluralism underlies the certain. notion of polyarchy,11 a particular interpretation of liberal representative democracy that has been quite Yet, regular free elections, basic political rights influential among Western democracy promoters. and procedural safeguards—as important as they In essence, polyarchy denotes the existence of are—provide no guarantees for effective governance multiple centres of power as well as respect for some that breaks down societal divisions, reconciles fundamental rules of the “democratic game,” such as diverging interests, and bridges social, economic regular elections and the alternation of competing and ethnic cleavages. As the record of Western- political elites in government. At the same time, sponsored democracy support after the Cold War polyarchy is unconcerned with the “substance” shows, young democracies that fail to address these of democratic rule, including with fundamental questions frequently relapse into authoritarianism. questions such as whether democratic systems are More recently, instead of such wholesale reversals responsive to their citizens and capable of addressing of democratic achievements, many post-transition Global Centre for Pluralism Intersections 3 Democracy Promotion and Pluralism—Mapping Study regimes have remained in a sort of grey zone, and changing nature of civil society in many places marked by the continued clout of authoritarian elites around the globe, together with new limitations and and the persistence

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