Does religion shape the nature of democratic development?

All but four countries in the world claim to be democracies. While this statistic is demonstrative of democracy’s widespread appeal, it fails to articulate the extreme differences in the level of democracy that is experienced in these countries. Many states are merely democratic in name. Others began the democratization process but have failed to progress toward a true democracy. Scholars identify religion as a source of promotion or hindrance to democratic development. They argue that some religions are predisposed to liberal forms of democracy while others are a few steps shy of theocracy. Certain religious-based societies are not willing to incorporate all the elements of democracy, thus hindering democratic development. According to the Dahl and Linz-Stepan criteria listed in chapter eleven of Arguing Comparative Politics, the tenants of democracy are: “(1) freedom to form and join organizations; (2) freedom of expression; (3) the right to vote; (4) eligibility for public office; (5) the right of political leaders to compete for support and votes; (6) alternative sources of information; (7) free and fair elections; (8) institutions for making government policies depend on votes and other expressions of preference;” (9) the presence of a written democracy that respects fundamentals of liberty; and (10) a government that operates within the constraints of the constitution. These parameters help evaluate the impact of specific religions on their government, and will identify which groups obtain true democracy. Christianity, Islam, and Confucianism will be compared to determine their impact on democratic development within a state. When determining whether religion shapes the nature of democratic development, we must fi...

... middle of paper ...

...te’s job to ensure all minority groups (civil associations) are accessible to the public. Unfortunately, not all pseudo-democratic nations subscribe to this belief. Nations such as Pakistan have a history of oppressing religions other than Islam. In comparing Christianity, Confucianism, and Islam it becomes apparent that democracy is adaptable to each religion. Different approaches have been taken in different countries. Some nations prevent democratic development while others embrace it. Proponents of modernization theory are correct in their basic assumption that economic development will eventually create some level of political liberalization. Specific components of each religion seem to frown upon democracy; however, it is up to the interpreters of each religion to determine whether they will hinder or promote democratic development in their society.