Review article
Causal Processes of Democratic Change: Socioeconomic Development or Sociocultural Factors?
Pero Maldini
orcid.org/0000-0001-8036-619X
; Sveučilište u Dubrovniku
Abstract
Dealing with democratization of transitional societies, the
author is trying to define causal processes of democratic
change. Considering sociostructural prerequisites as
necessary but not sufficient for establishing democracy, the
author emphasizes the importance of sociocultural factors and claims that political culture is the intervening variable in
the interaction between socioeconomic development and
democracy. This thesis is tested through various aspects of
the relationship between socioeconomic and sociocultural
dimensions of the democratization process. Economic
development and other structural factors do not act directly,
nor do they solely by themselves influence the existence and
stability of democracy. That influence is mediated by
sociocultural factors, particularly by political culture. Hence,
democratization is a collective action shaped by sociocultural
factors. The effect of sociostructural prerequisites on the
democratization process is taking place through the activity
of sociocultural factors, which determine the forms and
reaches of collective action, and finally the level and stability
of democracy. In the transitional context, democratization is
in progress both as sociostructural modernization and
sociocultural adaptation.
Keywords
democracy; democratization; economic development; modernization; sociocultural factors; civic culture; liberal aspirations
Hrčak ID:
25210
URI
Publication date:
7.7.2008.
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