AID and democratic development : a synthesis of literature and experience

This report synthesizes efforts made thus far within USAID to define, clarify, and implement this "Democracy Initiative." Section 1 provides an overview of the literature on the main issues in democratic development, focusing specifically on what factors constitute democracy. Among experts, there is general agreement that a democratic system involves three basic features: genuine political competition for government power; political participation and free elections; and respect for civil and political liberties. There is also a growing consensus in the donor community that economic development is furthered in the long run by open and participatory political systems. Section 2 focuses on issues that have confronted USAID in designing, implementing, and evaluating democracy promotion programs. These issues include, inter alia, the need to base programs on a deep understanding of the host country"s politics, history, culture, and economy; the value of using nongovernmental organizations for grassroots democratic development; and the need for both solid baseline data and for monitoring and evaluation systems. The report"s principal finding is that there is no blueprint for democratic development; programs must be based on the customs and aspirations of individual countries.