Culture and language of democratic governance

Different cultural orientations affect support for democratic and governance norms

Why are democratic norms adopted more easily in some societies compared to others? One explanation is that key cultural orientations may affect support for democratic and governance norms. To investigate this possibility, researchers used data about three cultural orientations: whether people are autonomous vs. embedded in social groups, whether they are hierarchical vs. egalitarian in managing power, and whether they feel mastery over vs. harmony with the natural world. They used that data to test associations with support for rule of law, non-corruption, and democratic accountability. The researchers found that societies where people are seen as more autonomous vs. embedded scored higher on national rule of law, non-corruption, and democratic accountability. This suggests that programs should aim to meet the cultural values of a country rather than the cultural values of development agencies, and that, in some countries, programs based on autonomous individuals may be ineffective. However, people in those countries may respond better to socially-embedded programming.

The language and meaning of democracy differs around the world

What makes democracy something desirable to people in different countries? Researchers tried to answer this question by identifying words associated with “democracy” in 55 countries. They identified five types of words. Two are more abstract: community and civilization, and belief and political ideologies. The other three are more concrete: principles like freedom or speech, governance and processes of governance, and outcomes like stability. When the researchers looked at which of these meanings were most prevalent in different parts of the world, they found that governance was most commonly identified in post-community countries and Latin America, while principles was the most common in South Asia. Also, while the outcomes meaning of democracy was not very common in established Western democracies, it was very common in MENA countries, South-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and East Asia. This research emphasizes the importance of understanding different concepts of democracy in the countries we work with, to better meet their goals in building vibrant democracies.

Do you have a study we should share for a future Facty Friday? Send an email to drg.el@usaid.gov!