Order Book
Publisher
A CFR Book. Yale University Press
Release Date
March 2013
Price
$28.00
304 pages
ISBN 978-0300175387
Share
Overview
Since the end of the Cold War, the assumption among most political theorists has been that as nations develop economically, they will also become more democratic--especially if a vibrant middle class takes root. This assumption underlies the expansion of the European Union and much of American foreign policy, bolstered by such examples as South Korea, the Philippines, Taiwan, and even to some extent Russia. Where democratization has failed or retreated, aberrant conditions take the blame: Islamism, authoritarian Chinese influence, or perhaps the rise of local autocrats. But what if the failures of democracy are not exceptions? In this thought-provoking study of democratization, Joshua Kurlantzick proposes that the spate of retreating democracies, one after another over the past two decades, is not just a series of exceptions. Instead, it reflects a new and disturbing trend: democracy in worldwide decline. The author investigates the state of democracy in a variety of countries, why the middle class has turned against democracy in some cases, and whether the decline in global democratization is reversible.
"Two decades ago, Francis Fukuyama famously argued . . . that the world would inevitably evolve toward liberal democracy and market economics. Yet 2013 represents the seventh consecutive year that declines in freedom outweighed gains, according to the Freedom House index. Kurlantzick offers keen insights into what has gone wrong."
--Trudy Rubin, Philadelphia Inquirer
"Removes the blinders so we can move forward in ways that promote democracy more effectively."
--Global Times
Named to Foreign Policy's list of what to read in 2013.
"International-policy wonks will find much of interest."
--Kirkus Reviews
"This book offers a very well-informed and global exploration of political developments over the past decade, with a particular emphasis on the state of democracy. Kurlantzick brings it all together in a unique, original, and compelling manner."
--Brian Joseph, senior director, Asia and global programs, National Endowment for Democracy
"Kurlantzick raises the specter of a world where democracy is in full retreat. . . . Few—if any—other books cover the topic so soundly and broadly, and for the future safety, security, and international position of the U.S., it is of vital importance."
--Samantha F. Ravich, former deputy national security adviser to the vice president
Joshua Kurlantzick is fellow for Southeast Asia at the Council on Foreign Relations. He is a frequent contributor to publications including Time, the New Republic, the American Prospect, and Mother Jones.
Print
Email
Share
Cite
