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Is democracy promotion inherently a Western concept or are there examples of successful promotion efforts from non-Western actors?

Deana Klais

Hey there,

Thanks for reaching out to me about this really interesting question! To answer it - no, democracy promotion is not inherently a Western concept. While Western countries, especially the United States, have been the most vocal proponents of democracy promotion in recent years, there are examples of successful promotion efforts from non-Western actors as well.

One example of a successful non-Western effort at democracy promotion is Taiwan. Despite not being recognized as a sovereign state by China or many other countries globally, Taiwan has made significant strides in promoting democracy within its borders. Following a long period of authoritarian rule, Taiwan transitioned to a democracy in the 1980s with the support of many of its citizens and political leaders. Taiwan has since become a beacon of democracy in Asia, with free and fair elections, a robust civil society, and a vibrant media landscape.

Another example of non-Western democracy promotion is that of South Korea. Like Taiwan, South Korea underwent a long period of authoritarian rule before transitioning to democracy in the 1980s. Since then, South Korea has made significant efforts to promote democracy in other countries, particularly within Southeast Asia. South Korean aid organizations and NGOs have worked to promote free and fair elections, human rights, and accountable governance in countries like Indonesia, Cambodia, and Myanmar, among others.

In addition to Taiwan and South Korea, other non-Western countries like Japan and India have also made significant efforts to promote democracy in recent years. Japan has worked to promote democratic values in Southeast Asia and Africa, while India has been particularly active in promoting democratic values in countries like Afghanistan and Bhutan.

Of course, there have also been examples of Western democracy promotion efforts that have been unsuccessful or even counterproductive. For example, the US-backed invasion of Iraq in 2003 was ostensibly meant to promote democracy in the region, but it ultimately led to prolonged violence, chaos, and instability in the country.

All in all, it's clear that democracy promotion is not inherently a Western concept. Many non-Western countries have made significant strides in promoting democracy both within their borders and in other countries around the world. Ultimately, promoting democracy requires a nuanced and context-specific approach that takes into account the unique political, social, and cultural factors at play in each country or region.

Hope that helps answer your question! Let me know if you have any other thoughts or questions.

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