Introduction
Democracy is just a philosophy that exists in writings in most countries and has never been implemented. Democracy is very essential in any country to presume progress. Most countries are still struggling on the issue of democracy in politics. Many arguments have been put forward supporting democratic regimes against dictatorial regimes and vice versa. Democracy is highly resisted by leaders who wish to retain power.
Haiti is a Republic in Latin America which obtained independence in 19th century. Haiti, however, has suffered dictatorship leadership for many years. From the survey conducted on Haiti concerning presidency leadership and elections, its clear that by 2002, Haiti was still struggling to be democratic. The then president, Aristide eliminated any possibility of opposition through use of force to threaten his opponents. The political misrule that had a lot of misery had attracted the international community intervention. Haiti is poor and underdeveloped and this can be attributed to the poor governance and ineffective democracy. During Aristide’s rule in the Haiti Republic from 2001, it was noted that there was undermined democracy and low economic development. Aristide had been elected democratically but instead of strengthening democracy had undermined it through his misrule.
Aristotle had mitigated political violence and intermediation of his opponents through unfair and fraudulent government elections since 1998 and this challenged Haiti’s democracy. In September 2001, U.S and other American states including Haiti signed inter-American Democratic charter that aimed to restore democracy in the states where elected governments had undermined democracy. However, it was not until 2003, Aristide’s government committed itself to mitigate democracy through promotion of security and confidence leading to free and fair elections. However, the government never implemented Aristide’s failure to strengthen democracy led to rampant increase in corruption and drug trafficking among those in his circle. Aristide recruited arm gangs to attack his opponents which robbed the country high revenue hence leading to further poverty.
Cape Verde on the other hand is seen to have developed democratically as compared to Haiti Republic. Democracy of cape Verde Republic is manifested by the elections fairness. From the electoral results from the previous elections in the last four electoral results years, there have equal chances of winning elections between the governing parties and opposition parties. Cape Verde is among the few African states where democracy has been achieved through with a lot of struggle. However, currently is described as democratically stable.
Literature Review
Scholar are seen to differ in their definition of democracy while some emphasise political features of the regime while others define democracy in terms of characteristics of society and economy. Some scholars argue that economy and society characteristic are causes of democracy but not attributes of democracy itself. Democracy presence involves equality in income and right to participate in free and fair elections. Democracy can be said to be achieved in a country when the opposition has equal chances of winning in an election. Democracy is closely related to economic development. Democracy is seen when dictatorship dies when a country becomes economically stable. With economic development, there is change in social structure into complexity and labour processes require cooperation of employees and thus new groups emerge and organize the complex structures. To ensure effective coordination, democracy becomes inevitable.
Lipset argues that when countries become developed then it is highly probable that they will become political democracies. In such, democracy is indigenous and results from development under authoritarianism. Dictatorships hardly succeed in developed nations for long. Countries like Italy, Germany, France and Netherlands which enjoyed incomes above $5000 did have dictatorship by 1950.
Transition from authoritarian rule in a country ensures free and fair competitive elections. The democrats’ actors are then required to push for structural changes which ensure stability of the democracy. Dictatorships are less likely to generate economic growth than democracies. Once a country becomes economically stable, its chances for democracy survival increase. However, from research, democracy can survive in poorer countries if they generate economic growth with a moderate rate of inflation. It has been noted that democracies in poor countries have higher probability of dying if income falls.
Research Design
The dependent variable in this study is democracy survival. Democracy is dependent on many factors for it to be attained and sustained. The independent variables therefore include wealth, economic performance, income inequality and international climate, political. Democracy is defined as regime where opposition is equal opportunity of winning. In democracy there is uncertainty as to which party will assume office since the elections are free and fair.
A country that is endowed with numerous wealth is more likely to be able to sustain democracy than poor economies. However, economic development continues up to a point of stagnation after which democracy will hardly survive.
Democracy is dependent on economic performance which is considered a sufficient condition for democracy if they generate economic growth with moderate rate of inflation. It’s argued that the faster the economy grows the more likely democracy is to survive. Inflation has been noted to threaten democratic stability. Economic performance is vital for the survival of democracy in less developed nations.
Democracy survival is dependent on income inequality in countries where income inequality is declining; democracy is more likely to survive as compared to countries high income inequality.
Democracy survival is highly dependent on international conditions. The larger proportion of democracies on the globe and in the regions in a particular year, the greater the likelihood for the survival of democracy in a particular country. Cape Verde has good international relations. Cape Verde pursues a non aligned foreign policy and seeks cooperation with all states. The international relations enhance the survival of Cape Verde’s democracy survival. Cape Verde is moderately poor as indicated by the presence of few resources and poor rainfall but the country’s control over inflation actually assist in ensuring democracy survival.
Discussion
Democracy is said to be present when there is equal chance for the opposition and the ruling party to occupy government offices through free and fair election contestation. It has been found from research that there are important factors that determine democracy survival. Both Haiti and Cape Verde have government regimes where the president is elected. From the research that is done by looking at the country’s inflation, economic growth, international relations, and country’s wealth, it’s possible to argue about the present state of democracy in the two countries.
From the study done in 224 regimes which included 101 democracies and 123 dictatorships, observing 40 transitions to dictatorship and 50 to democracy, it has been argued that economic development is very crucial for democracy to survive. Haiti has higher GDP of $R.85 billion as compared to Cape Verde $ 983 million. It has also been argued that good economic performance that is characterized by low inflation is conducive for democratic survival. From the government data obtained from both states, it’s clear that Haiti has higher GDP but the inflation rate is very high. From empirical research, economies with higher economic growth are more likely to sustain democracy.
Cape Verde which mostly depends on service industry for its revenue which accounts for 70% in the GDP has stable democratic regime. Stable democracy of Cape Verde can be attributed to the low inflation rate which is 0.4% according to 2005 government data. Cape Verde has moderate wealth as indicated by 2004 GDP per capita of $2, 091. Cape Verde has favourable annual real GDP growth rate of 6.6% according to 2005 government data which may have contributed greatly to the democracy survival and stability. The higher economic growth is accompanied by low inflation of 0.4% which has contributed to the sustained democracy. Cape Verde is relatively poor but the government has managed to control inflation rate which has promoted democracy survival.
Gallie has defined democracy as situation where politicians assume government offices through contested elections which are free of fraud combined with effective guarantees of civil liberties which include freedom of speech, assembly and association. It has been noted that there is no consensus in democracy definition. Classical definition of democracy is considered as root definition of democracy. Parliamentary democracy, multiparty democracy and federal democracy are all considered definitely democratic.
Cape Verde and Haiti are seen to practice parliamentary democracy, and both have multiparty. Haiti however seen to be having declining parliamentary democracy during Aristide who had been seen to be driver of democracy as an end of long period dictatorship. Aristide however, instead of cultivating democracy contributed to its decline. Haiti is characterised by low economic growth. Low economic growth may be attributed to the collapse of the tourism industry which created high unemployment.
Collapse of tourism industry due to AIDS pandemic declared in 1986 led to greater economic crisis characterised by high inflation. Currently, Haiti still has high inflation of 15.2 which threatens democracy survival especially with the low economic growth. Haiti is ported to have highest rates of AIDS, malnutrition, and infant mortality in the American state. These adversely affect the Haiti’s economy. Haiti is noted to have poor international relations which further contribute to the challenge of democracy sustainability. Democracy was established 1990 in Haiti which highly supported by international community. The government however faced many challenges which threatened democracy survival as indicated above. At the time when Aristide assumed leadership, tourism industry had collapsed due to AIDS pandemic and this affected the economy adversely. Aristide however, engaged in dictatorial leadership by recruiting arm gang to threaten his opponents and this declined democracy in the Haiti economy. The economy’s high inflation has not been checked.
Haiti country is poor with low income and this may have attributed to death of democracy when Aristide took over power yet he had been elected through free and fair elections. Poor governance in Haiti led to corruption increase which in turn led to greater income inequality and this limited survival of democracy. Use of violence to intimidate opponents actually contributed to death of democracy until US and other American states pressed for democracy cultivation. Haiti’s decline of democracy can also be attributed to the poor international relations. Violation of democracy of Haiti has attracted a lot of criticism from other American states. Dictatorial leadership by Aristide had received a lot of disapproval from other American states that enjoyed democracy. Haiti’s poor international relations that were mitigated by the long period dictatorship hamper democracy survival. Haiti has had dictatorial leadership until 1990 and this may have contributed to the poor economic growth.
Cape Verde on the contrary enjoys a stable democracy. Cape Verde is characterized by high economic growth and low inflation of 0.4 which may have contributed to the survival. Cape Verde which mainly depend on the service industry particularly transport has a policy that promote international relations with other countries. The good international relations is seen as main contribution to the democracy survival since most of the countries enjoy democratic regimes. Cape Verde enjoys parliamentary democracy and presidential democracy. The income disparity between the poor and the rich is high but this does not seem to affect the democracy much. Cape Verde is seen to have low unemployment which contributes to high economic growth and hence democracy survival.
Conclusion
There has been no consensus concerning neither democracy definition nor the process of democratization as many scholars have diverse views.13 It has been argued that affluence is a determinant of democracy and this has fit well in the Haiti and Cape Verde study of government regimes. It has been argued that in some inequality hamper democracy survival yet in Cape Verde there is a stable democracy even with the presence of big income discrepancy between rural people and urban people economic performance and international relations has been major determinants of democracy survival
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