Democracy in Transition

Author: Pig Day Xiao
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-12-01
Features: Since the late 1980s, many have hailed the Western democratic model as the ultimate form of human civilization. However, this excessive optimism was soon struck by the heavy blows of reality. Regardless of the progress the democratic system made in the 1980s and 1990s, the old and new problems it faced continued to emerge: In the newly democratic countries that adopted the Western model, democracy not only failed to resolve the conflicts between the former regime and the people, but instead exacerbated various socio-economic issues. On the other hand, the traditional view of the universality of the democratic model was forcefully challenged by theories of the specific development of traditional states. Democracy not only failed to become a standardized global model, but also faced unprecedented challenges. The book addresses the numerous issues faced by the democratic system during its process of development and change. The authors are all renowned scholars in the field of comparative politics, with solid political analytical skills and often a blend of Eastern and Western academic backgrounds. This enables them to keenly grasp the various problems faced by the democratic system and gain insights into the basic patterns of the evolution of the Western democratic model.