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Plan for Today Foreign Democracy Assistance

Become familiar with history, comparative figures, and ethical questions on democracy assistance. Plan for Today Foreign Democracy Assistance. Foreign assistance aimed at building a democratic state and a democratic society. What is “Democracy Assistance”?.

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Plan for Today Foreign Democracy Assistance

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  1. Become familiar with history, comparative figures, and ethical questions on democracy assistance. Plan for TodayForeign Democracy Assistance

  2. Foreign assistance aimed at building a democratic state and a democratic society. What is“Democracy Assistance”?

  3. Context: Some History and Figures

  4. Marshall Plan: Germany post-WWII. German “Stiftungen” beginning 1950s. Part of international development programs beginning 1960s. Democracy Assistance Not New

  5. 1970s: US human rights priority established (Carter). • 1980s: Reagan focus on democracy and human rights. • 1983: National Endowment for Democracy (NDI, IRI). • 1984: US State Dept. Office of Democratic Initiatives. Democracy Assistance Not New – US record

  6. 1989: US Congress passed Support for East European Democracy (SEED) Act. 1993: Clinton declared democracy a new priority in USAID. Explosion of Assistance in 1990s

  7. By mid-1990s, huge “democracy industry” established. • Government agencies: • USAID, CIDA, European Commission. • NGOs • Government-funded orgs, think tanks, technical assistance orgs, advocacy NGOs. • Private granting foundations • Ford, Soros, Macarthur. Explosion of Assistance in 1990s

  8. New opportunities from end of Cold War, collapse of Soviet power. • A method of boosting popularity of foreign aid at home. • Ideas about relationship between economic and political development changed. Why take-off in 1990s?

  9. US dominant in absolute figures (28.8 billion USD in 2009). But almost smallest in proportion of national income (0.21% GNI vs. Sweden highest at 1.12% GNI in 2009). Who gives how much Overseas Development Assistance (generally)? Source: OECD Development Assistance Committee

  10. Governance & Civil Society Aid ** Captures bilateral aid only ** • Worldwide: • 3.3 billion USD (2002) – about 8% of bilateral ODA. • 10 billion USD (2009) – about 12% of bilateral ODA. • US: 4.6 billion USD (2009). • 18.6% of bilateral ODA (up from 9% in 2002). • EU countries: 8.8 billion USD (2009) • 13% of total bilateral ODA (static % from 2002). • Canada: 512 million USD (2009). • 16.2% of total bilateral ODA (up from 10% in 2002). Source: OECD Development Assistance Committee

  11. State Effective state institutions Judiciary Electoral system Legislation Society Political parties NGOs Mass media Civic education Forms of Democracy AssistanceAreas Targeted

  12. Training At home Overseas Grants Project grants Maintenance grants Forms of Democracy AssistanceMethods Used

  13. Possible Motives Behind Democracy Assistance • Democracy for the value itself. (Altruistic) • Idea that promoting democracy will promote world peace. (Strategic) • Goal to control democratic transitions and prevent mass participation. (Sinister)

  14. How is Assistance Distributed? • According to need or greatest promise? • Bigger countries emphasized? • No clear pattern of distribution overall. • EU focus on neighbours. • US strategic interests. • Scandinavians most even-handed.

  15. Illegitimate political intervention? • Usually not. • Narrow version of democracy promoted? • Typically yes. • Hypocrisy given Western democracies’ flaws? • Yes, needs acknowledging. Ethicalissues

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