International Democracy Promotion

Abstract

Abstract Is international pressure for democracy effective in authoritarian regimes? While research indicates that international efforts can help solidify transitions in new or fragile democracies, it is less effective in authoritarian contexts. This chapter discusses three modes of international democracy promotion (IDP)—assistance, monitoring, and conditionality—and synthesizes what we know about the effects of these efforts in authoritarian regimes. Two points are emphasized. First, in more open authoritarian regimes, international pressure and assistance can complement the efforts of opposition parties and civil society, but democracy promotion is less effective in tightly controlled hegemonic authoritarian regimes. Second, autocrats can strategically adapt to international pressure for democracy by focusing on reforms that do not pose an immediate political threat. Rising advances in women’s rights in many autocracies is an example of this type of selective compliance. Nevertheless, certain tools of democracy promotion can have meaningful effects in authoritarian regimes, including election monitoring and assistance to election-management bodies. The chapter concludes by highlighting lessons for how IDP can be strengthened and streamlined.