DIPLOMARBEIT Titel der Diplomarbeit A HAZARDOUS ROAD TOWARDS DEMOCRACY DEMOCRATISATION AND STATE BUILDING IN THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO Verfasser Mag. Wolfgang Lars Strasser angestrebter akademischer Grad Magister der Philosophie (Mag.phil.) Wien 2012 Studienkennzahl lt. Studienblatt: A 300 Studienrichtung lt. Studienblatt: Politikwissenschaft Betreuer: Ao.Univ.-Prof. Dr. Otmar Höll [D]emocratic institutions […] prudently introduced into society so as gradually to mix with the habits and to be interfused with the opinions of the people, might subsist in other countries besides America. Alexis de Tocqueville , Democracy in America (1835) Democracy substitutes election by the incompetent many for appointment by the corrupt few. George Bernard Shaw , Maxims for Revolutionists (1903) I couldn't help asking him once what he meant by coming here at all. "To make money, of course. What do you think?" he said scornfully. Joseph Conrad , Heart of Darkness (1902) i Contents ACRONYMS ..........................................................................................................................................................................III MAP ........................................................................................................................................................................................VI INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................................................................................... 1 CHAPTER 1: HISTORICAL BACKGROUND.................................................................................................................... 3 A. INDEPENDENCE TO THE FALL OF MOBUTU .......................................................................................................................... 3 B. THE PRESIDENCY OF LAURENT -DÉSIRÉ KABILA ................................................................................................................. 6 C. THE SECOND CONGO WAR ................................................................................................................................................. 8 D. THE INTER -CONGOLESE DIALOGUE AND THE BEGINNING OF THE TRANSITION .................................................................. 12 CHAPTER 2: THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK ............................................................................................................... 16 A. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................ 16 B. STATE BUILDING .............................................................................................................................................................. 21 C. DEMOCRATISATION AND ITS POSSIBLE SIDE -EFFECTS : ELITE PERSUASION AND ETHNODEMOCRACY ................................. 24 C.1 Elite Persuasion ...................................................................................................................................................... 25 C.2 Ethnodemocracy...................................................................................................................................................... 27 D. THE AVOIDANCE OF SIDE EFFECTS : SEQUENTIALISM AND ITS CRITICS ............................................................................. 28 E. THE ECONOMY – NATURAL RESOURCES , ECONOMIC GROWTH AND CONFLICT ................................................................. 34 CHAPTER 3: THE ELECTIONS OF 2006 ......................................................................................................................... 36 A. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................ 36 B. THE ELECTION CAMPAIGNS .............................................................................................................................................. 38 C. THE PRESIDENTIAL AND PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS OF 30 JULY ................................................................................... 40 D. BALANCING ON THE VERGE OF THE ABYSS – A RESORT TO FORCE UNDER OBSCURE CIRCUMSTANCES ............................. 41 E. THE RUN -OFF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION ........................................................................................................................... 43 F. FINAL RESULTS AND AFTERMATH .................................................................................................................................... 44 G. THE MEDIA DURING THE ELECTION CAMPAIGNS .............................................................................................................. 47 H. EXCURSUS : ELECTION OBSERVERS ’ ASSESSMENT OF ALLEGED IRREGULARITIES .............................................................. 49 CHAPTER 4: THE INSTITUTIONS ................................................................................................................................... 50 A. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................ 50 B. INDICATORS OF INSTITUTIONAL HEALTH .......................................................................................................................... 51 C. THE CONDITION OF STATE INSTITUTIONS ......................................................................................................................... 53 C.1 The Executive, Legislative and the Political Parties............................................................................................... 53 C.2 Devolution – an Option for the DRC?..................................................................................................................... 59 C.3 Security Sector ........................................................................................................................................................ 60 C.5 Justice System (The Courts and Legal System) ....................................................................................................... 65 C.6 The Bureaucracy..................................................................................................................................................... 67 C.7 Civil Society and Media .......................................................................................................................................... 70 D. EXCURSUS : INSTITUTIONS , GOOD GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION .................................................................................. 72 CHAPTER 5: THE ECONOMIC ANGLE.......................................................................................................................... 74 A. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................ 74 B. ECONOMIC REFORM EFFORTS .......................................................................................................................................... 76 C. RE-ENGAGEMENT OF DONORS ......................................................................................................................................... 79 D. EXCURSUS : THE ILLEGAL EXPLOITATION OF NATURAL RESOURCES ................................................................................. 80 CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSIONS............................................................................................................................................ 82 A. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................................ 82 B. STATE BUILDING .............................................................................................................................................................. 82 C. ELITE PERSUASION AND ETHNODEMOCRACY .................................................................................................................... 86 C.1 Elite Persuasion ...................................................................................................................................................... 87 C.2 Ethnodemocracy...................................................................................................................................................... 89 D. SEQUENTIALISM ............................................................................................................................................................... 90 D.1 The Correct Sequence............................................................................................................................................. 90 D.2 Illiberal Democracy and Gradualism ..................................................................................................................... 93 E. THE ECONOMY ................................................................................................................................................................. 94 CHAPTER 7: THE ELECTIONS OF NOVEMBER 2011 AND OUTLOOK.................................................................. 96 BIBLIOGRAPHY AND RESOURCES.............................................................................................................................