Contemporary governance debates often assume the positive contribution of democracy to civil and political equality, poverty reduction, and conflict resolution. Yet, is the evidence for this conclusive? Are there democratic shortfalls, too?
This paper delves into these questions about democracy, inequality and conflict. The paper makes a distinction between institutions and politics, seeking to demonstrate that the spread of democratic institutions does not guarantee the spread of democratic politics. This is argued on the basis of an analysis of the meanings of democracy and through an exploration of the potential of democracy for creating politics of inclusion, poverty reduction, and conflict resolution. The paper investigates ways in which democratic institutions can be designed to foster democratic politics that embody popular demands for participation, social justice and peace. The authors argue for the principle of ‘politics of inclusion’.
Democracy thus is understood as an instrument for establishing stable, effective and legitimate governance by creating mechanisms for inclusion of the broadest number of citizens in decision-making as well as access to socio- economic resources. A lot of ‘democracy deficits’ exist, but there are spaces for democratic politics to overcome them.
The following conclusions are also stated:
- Democratic deficits are manifested in forms of citizenship and accountability. ‘Hollow citizenship’, lack of vertical accountability, weak horizontal accountability, and international accountability are where deficits appear.
- Inequality and poverty can create demands for quick benefits that threaten economic policy, which in turn can undermine democratic stability.
- In democracies the greatest obstacle to pro-poor public action is the weakness of the organised activities of the poor in civil and political society.
- Democracy itself is unlikely to resolve all identity-based conflicts, nor can it guarantee of a society without political violence. Democratic societies, however, are more likely to develop the institutions and the resources to peacefully manage conflict.
- The conditions of democracy during periods of transitions sometimes increase the risk of violent political conflict.
There is a need for democratic institutions and democratic politics not to be seen as alternatives to each other. Policy actions to sustain effective democracy need to observe the following:
- To overcome ‘democratic deficits’ plural sources of political power and legitimacy are needed; political opportunities must be created for citizens to access the public sphere and to hold governments and state elites accountable.
- The coherence of the public administration is crucial to the effectiveness of policy for poverty reduction.
- Corporatist arrangements can give weaker political actors in the working class an effective participation in policy-making.
- Power-sharing systems based on consociationalism or integrative power can be successful in tackling identity-based conflict. However, there should be an emphasis on ensuring that democratic politics are protected and eventually supersede these arrangements. This can avoid potential pitfalls where power-sharing systems entrench social cleavages.
