Democratization is now under way in more than half of the states that were authoritarian 25 years ago. Numerous examples can be given, from countries in Latin America to the Far East. Interdisciplinary studies are full of examples of democratic expansion efforts in many countries, such as Taiwan, Scotland, Croatia, the Czech Republic and so on.There are many particular conditions that affect the development of civic-democratic societies, including historical conditions, the alignment of the elite, the protectionist status quo, corruption, economic development or stagnation, the role of the media, business community, judiciary and military. Consequently, studies reveal that, as in Northern Ireland, for example, the democratic road is not always rosy. It is often bumpy but well worth following.
Nearly half of the 100 countries that have started down the path of transformation to a democratic society since the 1970s have experienced some kind of relapse or other. One common obstacle to democratization is the tradeoff or incompatibility between democratization and economic development. In some countries, as frequently seen in Latin America and Africa, living conditions have actually declined over the last 15 years as a result of some measures carried out in the name of democratization.
Moreover, the emphasis and issues are not the same in societies where the attempt to establish democratic governance follows ethnic conflict. In such societies that aim to move away from ethnic conflict to democracy, transitional problems concern minority rights, forced displacement, refugee return and reconstruction, and the prosecution of extrajudicial killings and war crimes. In a country transitioning to democracy following a conflict, democratization starts with political elites; other civic organizations and citizens increase their involvement gradually with each positive step that the incumbent government takes toward restoring legitimacy and the rule of law.
An excessive role for or weight of the military quashes democratic rule, hinders modernization and results in the breakdown of the state, as seen in the cases of Sierra Leone and Liberia. Failure in democratic development encourages the growth of authoritarianism and militarism, which further impedes modernization and democratization. As in Turkey, issues of “state security” or “threats to the regime” become the highest goals. This notion nurtures nationalist identities and ethnic loyalties, which hamper the development of a multicultural civil society, the rule of law and participatory democracy.
Understanding the multiple challenges facing democratic transitions is vital. If a transitioning state cannot sustain peaceful political and economic development, the strains of transition and reform prove so great that the government and any democratization process it has initiated will collapse. Then, not only do the historic democratic gains made so far come to seem illusory to the masses, but that misperception has far-reaching implications for the surrounding countries that were ready to follow the example of democratization. Consider, for example, how Iraq, Syria and Iran might be affected by the success or failure of democratization in Turkey.
Studies of countries in different parts of the world have discussed essential obstacles that influence the process of democratic transition, its length, success or failure. Pre-existing obstacles are sometimes overlooked or underestimated at the beginning of the democratic transformation. They therefore can cause not only the failure of the democratic process but also actually increase tension in society.
In the case of Turkey, democratization is a thorough-going process concerning every sector of society rather than a one-off initiative of some pro-Kurdish activists and Democratic Society Party (DTP) members. Any process of democratization is necessarily influenced by pre-existing socio-economic and political realities. As Turkey continues with the democratic initiative it should be handled carefully, so that it should not be seen as a project which is imposed by one side and rejected by most. The sensitivity and importance of the issue require that the demands raised by all sides go through a meticulous process of mutually beneficial analysis. Democratization requires compromises for the common and greater good in order to reach a socio-politically and culturally acceptable and practicable model.
Many communities in the world have gone through such democratization processes in recent years. These experiences should be reviewed and shared by academia and the media with the larger society and the government of Turkey in order to achieve an effective separation of powers and so that a civil society is encouraged. Building an institutional infrastructure for liberal democracy in which ethnic, cultural and religious freedoms thrive will be a driving force for development in and around Turkey. Such democratization and development does not call into question the legitimacy or sovereignty of the state, but is a call for human dignity and a diverse and prosperous society.
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