DEMOCRACY IN THE THIRD WORLD: MYTH OR REALITY?

This critical examination assesses the prospects and challenges for democracy in the Third World during the mid-1980s, analyzing whether democratic governance represents an achievable reality or remains an elusive myth in most developing countries. The article explores the theoretical debates about democracy's applicability and sustainability in different socio-economic and cultural contexts. The research investigates the historical experiences with democratic experiments in various Third World regions, identifying patterns of success, failure, and hybrid outcomes. The study examines the structural factors that facilitate or hinder democratic development, including economic conditions, social structures, institutional frameworks, and international influences. The article assesses alternative governance models that have emerged in the Third World and evaluates their compatibility with democratic principles. The research also identifies conditions under which democratic transitions become possible and sustainable in developing country contexts.

The prospects for democracy in the Third World represented one of the most debated issues in comparative politics during the 1980s, with this article providing a critical examination of whether democratic governance constituted myth or reality across developing regions. The research begins by examining the theoretical debates about democracy's universal applicability, analyzing arguments about cultural specificity, economic prerequisites, and institutional requirements for successful democratic governance. The analysis explores the historical experiences with democratic experiments in different Third World regions, investigating why some countries maintained democratic systems while others experienced democratic breakdown and authoritarian reversal. The article examines structural factors influencing democratic prospects, assessing how economic development levels, social inequality patterns, ethnic and religious diversity, and state capacity affect democratic sustainability. The study investigates the role of international factors, analyzing how superpower competition, diffusion effects, and international aid conditionality influenced democratic development in different regions. The research evaluates alternative governance models including one-party states, military regimes, and personalist dictatorships that emerged across the Third World, assessing their performance and legitimacy claims. Based on the comprehensive assessment, the article identifies the conditions under which democratic transitions become possible and the institutional arrangements that enhance democratic resilience in developing country contexts. The findings provide valuable insights into the complex relationship between development and democracy and contribute to understanding how democratic governance can be adapted to diverse socio-economic and cultural settings.