Development Assistance for Promoting Democracy

Abstract

This paper investigates the role development assistance plays in promoting democratic transition, from both empirical and normative perspectives. We will first survey the recent policy debates and then lay out the conceptual and normative discussion concerning democracy, political equality, governance and their interrelations with development assistance. This is followed by a review of the recent historical trend for democratization and what scholars have so far learned about variables that may promote or hinder democratization.