DEMOCRACY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT:
RELATION OF IDENTITY, INSTRUMENTALITY OR CONTRADICTION?
Keywords:
democracy, participation, autocracy, developmentAbstract
This paper analyzes the relationship between democracy and economic development. It confronts three theories that classify the relationship as one of identity, instrumentality or contradiction. The first understands democracy as a constituent of the concept of development, so that the end of the development process is the promotion and strengthening of democracy itself. A second current
points to the instrumental character of democracy in the development process, which derives especially from participatory mechanisms. A third current affirms that democracy imposes difficulties in the process of development, so that it would be necessary to choose between one of the two to guide the efforts of government action. In an attempt of reconciliation between the three theories, the article suggests that it is important to recognize democracy as a constituent part of the concept of development, affirming the importance of political freedoms in a democratic system as an end in itself. However, as a means to promote development, democracy may be necessary but not sufficient to improve the society’s well being and should be associated with economic freedom and market openness in order to facilitate economic growth and improvement in quality of life.
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