Discuss how democracy and development are co-related
In 1998, the United Nations Education, Scientific and
Cultural Organization (UNESCO) established the International Panel on Democracy
and Development (IPDD). This panel was made up of international figures and was
chaired by Boutros Boutros-Ghali. The Interaction Between Democracy and
Development recalls the discussions of this panel and highlights its insights. Discuss how democracy and development are co-related The panel began by discussing democracy and development separately, and then
discussed their interrelation, globalization and the proper role of the
international community. Discuss how democracy and development are co-related According to The Interaction Between Democracy and
Development, democracy embodies four basic principals: freedom, justice, free
participation of citizens and human rights. These "democratic
principals" are thought to "...constitute a fundamental source of
common value that can be described as the common heritage of humankind." Discuss how democracy and development are co-related Though common to all "true democracies," these principals will take
on different forms, and will be realized by different means, in different
societies. It is thought that democracy should reflect the specific social,
cultural and economic context of a given society.
In doing so, however, a democratic society must be aware of
three potential pitfalls. First, the domination of the majority does not
constitute democracy. Minority groups deserve representation and without it,
democratic governance is simply a tyranny of the majority. Discuss how democracy and development are co-related Second, minority
political representation in and of itself does not guarantee harmony and in
some cases can exacerbate problems. Finally, despite a need for cultural
diversity in politics, minority status should not be the basis for access to
power. That is, ethnicity, cultural or religious ties should not be
prerequisites to political power (even for minority groups). To avoid these
pitfalls, a culture of democracy must be established (in addition to the
physical structures of democracy such as a parliament).
This culture should include a tolerance and respect for
others, dialogue between groups, and a sense of pluralism. In other words,
democracy only works when people respect differences, discuss them, and are
willing to share power. Discuss how democracy and development are co-related Without these concepts ingrained into a culture,
democracy may have free participation of citizens, but the other democratic
values of freedom, justice and human rights are likely to be neglected.
In defining development, this book went beyond the common
conception of development as economic advancement. According to the IPDD, it
includes the "...whole range of economic, social and cultural progress to
which peoples aspire." Discuss how democracy and development are co-related Thus, while economic advancement is a piece of
development, the IPDD's definition includes social and cultural advancement as
well. As such, development (like democracy) should be tailored to cultural
contexts.
If local social and cultural contexts are not taken into
account during development, an impression of the "colonization" of
local culture by "world culture" may result, exacerbating
"patterns of withdrawal" and possibly leading to increased violence. Discuss how democracy and development are co-related In reference to the relationship between democracy and development, the IPDD
stated that there is "...now widespread agreement that a close
relationship exists between them." This relationship is thought to be complementary
and mutually reinforcing. A "true democracy" is thought to require a
minimum standard of living, which in turn requires a minimum level of
development.
On the other hand, efficient development is thought to require democratic governance. Further, the IPDD claims that "democracy, development and peace form a trilogy, a common purpose." This is thought to be because democracies generally solve their internal disputes peacefully and because many conflicts have a material root that could be eliminated through successful development. Thus, though distinctly different phenomena, democracy, development, and peace are thought to be highly interrelated. Discuss how democracy and development are co-related This interrelation is increasingly important due to globalization. According to the IPDD, globalization can be "...understood to mean increased political, economic and social interdependence between all countries in the world..." and this is thought to be "inevitable". Discuss how democracy and development are co-related While globalization can be a genuine asset for democracy, it can also threaten "democratic values." The panel recognized that the current form of globalization has had mixed results, in some cases helping to spread democratic values, and in others leading to exploitation. In part, the negative effects of globalization are thought to be a result of the undemocratic nature of international relations.
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