Quiroga 1

Gonzalo Quiroga
PS 169
Ananyev
June 10, 2014
The Process of Democratization
After the end of World War II and the Cold War, several countries started a process of
democratization, moving away from non-democratic governments. Many scholars have tried to
come up with evidence to explain what caused this process. Some scholars have argued that
economic inequality is related to democratization. When the income gap between the rich and the
poor is too wide, the poor will have an incentive to mobilize for equality. Economic inequality
does lead to democratization but only in certain countries where the cost of repression is higher,
leaving the government no chance but to democratize. However, other factors such as education
and strong political institutions are necessary to move towards a stable democracy. While
economic inequality may be related to democracy, there are other factors such as education and
strong political institutions that may have a stronger relationship with the process of
democratization.
After the end of WW II and the Cold War, there were many European countries trying to
democratize. Such countries were part of the old Soviet Union, or where directly or indirectly
supported by the Soviet Union. In these countries democratization happened at a much faster rate
because the previous regime was torn apart. However democratization has not always succeeded
so fast. In Latin American countries the process of democratization took much longer, swinging
back and forth between democracy and military regimes or dictatorships. Although income
inequality may cause masses to push for democracy, this does not always happen.

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Economic inequality does lead to democratization but only in countries where the cost of
repression is too high. In Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy Daron Acemoglu
and James A. Robinson argue that inequality may cause revolutions, but only in certain cases.
The authors state that if the cost of repression is too high, revolutions may occur. However if the
cost of repression is low, the government will repress its citizens and stop democratization.1 In
countries such as Argentina and Britain, the cost of repression were too high, therefore both
countries were democratized early on. However, in South Africa, the cost of repression was very
low until 1994.1 In South Africa, democracy did not succeed until the apartheid was over and
minorities gained their civic rights.
To avoid economic inequality, the emergence of a middle class is needed to establish a
democracy. In Political Man: The Social Bases of Politics, Seymour M. Lipset explains the
important role that middle classes play in democracies. Lipset argues, A large middle class
tempers conflict by rewarding moderate and democratic parties and penalizing extremist
groups.2 A middle class will become more educated and will be actively involved in the political
system. The middle class will prevent the government from ruling for the few. Instead, the
middle class will vote for policies that will benefit the majority. In the long run this will benefit
more people, minimizing economic inequality.
When there is economic inequality in a non-democratic nation, the middle class is likely to rebel
against the elites and the government. Acemoglu and Robinson argue, Almost all revolutionary
movements were led by middle-class actors.3 As evidence, the authors claim that middle-class
1 Acemoglu, Daron, and James A. Robinson. Economic Origins of Dictatorship and
Democracy. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2006. p. 44. Print.
2 Lipset, Seymour M. Political Man: The Social Bases of Politics. London: n.p., 1983. p.62.
Print.
3 Acemoglu, Daron, and James A. Robinson. Economic Origins of Dictatorship and
Democracy. Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2006. p. 39. Print

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actors led both revolutions in Britain and Argentina. While in Britain it helped to the creation of
the First Reform Act, in Argentina it led to a better distribution of power. Similarly, a large
middle class group pushed for democracy in Costa Rica and Colombia. Both countries became
stable democracies by 1948 and 1936 respectively.3 On the other hand, Guatemala, El Salvador
and Nicaragua were dominated by dictators in the nineteenth century.3 Differently from Costa
Rica and Colombia, these countries did not count with a strong middle class to push for a
democratic government. It took much longer for these countries to achieve a stable democratic
government.
Economic development plays a key role in developing countries in order to spread democracy. If
the economy is doing well, then the government can invest more money in education, health care
and better public goods. More educated citizens will naturally be better informed and therefore
they will be more involved in politics. At the same time, if the economy is doing well, citizens
will be willing to invest more, creating new jobs. This will subsequently lower unemployment
rates. However, the government needs to have strong institutions to stop corruption among its
leaders. Without strong institutions the government revenues will go to the leaders pockets
instead than to its citizens.
Economic development by itself will not spread democracy if is not accompanied by free
media and freedom of speech. Development and Democracy, Bruce Bueno de Mesquita and
George W. Downs explain the importance of coordination goods among citizens to spread
democracy. In a study with 150 countries between 1970 and 1999 the authors found out that
providing coordination goods significantly decreases the survival prospects of incumbent
regimes.4 Some of these coordination goods that citizens need can be free media and freedom
4 Mesquita, Bruce Bueno De, and George W. Downs. "Development and Democracy." Foreign
Affairs 84.5 (2005): p. 84. JSTOR. Web.

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of speech. If the government is not willing to provide its citizens with the ability to coordinate
and mobilize, then democracy will not spread out.
Furthermore, Bueno de Mesquita et al. presents evidence showing that if governments
suppress coordination while doing well economically, the likelihood of democracy decreases at
least between five to ten years. Moreover, the authors claim that in the short term economic
growth stabilizes regimes rather than undermines them.5 It is clear that without economic
development it is hard to spread democracy in developing countries. However, if the government
fails to facilitate coordination goods to its citizens, the regime will have no opposition, at least in
the short term. This will consolidate the leaders on power, ruling to their own benefit since they
cannot be removed from power.
While economic inequality may lead to a revolution for democracy, poor countries are
fertile ground for corruption. According to Lipset, The poorer the country, the greater the
emphasis on nepotism-support of kin and friendship.6 In poor countries, those in power will try
to help their friends and assign family members to office. This creates an environment of
corruption among politicians, leading to a very corrupt and unstable government. In these
countries, the state is unable to set a good education system along with other public services.
Therefore, citizens are incapable from getting a good education and become more active
politically.
Economic inequality among citizens seems to be related to democratization. When the
income gap between citizens is too wide, those at the bottom will try to start a revolution against
the elites. This revolution will be successful only if the cost of repression is high. Otherwise,
5 Mesquita, Bruce Bueno De, and George W. Downs. "Development and Democracy." Foreign
Affairs 84.5 (2005): p. 85. JSTOR. Web.
6 Lipset, Seymour M. Political Man: The Social Bases of Politics. London: n.p., 1983. p.62.
Print.

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elites will push for repression instead of democratization. At the same time, while economic
development is good for democratization, the government needs to provide its citizen with
coordination goods such as education, freedom of speech and free media. If the government
fails to do so, citizens will not be able to organize and involve in politics. Therefore, regimes will
benefit from economic development, at least in the short term. Economic inequality may be
related to democratization, but once that the revolution has succeeded, the state needs to provide
its society with a good education system that allows citizens to become more involved in politics.
That way, informed citizens will prevent corrupt practices, and will establish a strong and stable
democracy with strong political institutions.

Works Cited
Acemoglu, Daron, and James A. Robinson. Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy.
Cambridge: Cambridge UP, 2006. p. 44. Print.

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Mesquita, Bruce Bueno De, and George W. Downs. "Development and Democracy." Foreign
Affairs 84.5 (2005): p. 84. JSTOR. Web.
Lipset, Seymour M. Political Man: The Social Bases of Politics. London: n.p., 1983. p.62.
Print.