Mongolian democracy: key challenges and opportunities in modern environment

Khatanbold Oidov

doi:10.1051/e3sconf/202125807009

Abstract

In the last three decades, views about democracy in Mongolia have transformed from high expectations and hopes to perceived failure in performances in political and economic terms. A national and international researchers concluded that at the initial stage of democratization, Mongolians were guided by the general concepts and values of democracy such as human rights, liberty, and freedom of association and expression. Later, these values shifted to more in-depth notions that can be summarized as “democracy is a process for ensuring accountability and justice based on the active engagement of citizens”. This article explores the factors that contributed to democratic challenges and bottlenecks drawing on experts’ interviews conducted by the author and a review of various public opinion surveys assessing democratic performance in Mongolia. The article uses methodologies and tools designed by International IDEA and assesses the applicability of different democratic models to the Mongolian context. It argues that the evaluation of democracy in Mongolia should use additional criteria reflecting Mongolian characteristics. It concludes by suggesting that the enhancement of the democratic mechanism of accountability of public institutions is a key opportunity to consolidate democracy. The experts participating in the assessment viewed the frameworks of executive, pluralist and protective democracy are more suitable for democracy development in Mongolia, and communitarian democracy.

Highlights

Mongolia is widely considered as an “exceptionally unusual” example of democracy among the countries affected by the fourth wave of democracy in Central Asia
The public has growing concerns that democracy in Mongolia is becoming vulnerable and that the democratic development and future trends are challenged by wide variety of obstacles
O national and international researchers have concluded that at the initial stage of democratization, Mongolians were guided by the general concepts and values of democracy such as human rights, liberty, and freedom of association and expression

Summary

Introduction

Mongolia is widely considered as an “exceptionally unusual” example of democracy among the countries affected by the fourth wave of democracy in Central Asia. The country had no previous experience with Western-style democracy, even it had some unique cultural factors necessary for democracy, such as a strong desire for freedom linked to the traditional nomadic lifestyle and a preference for close connections with people from their native land. It is noteworthy that Mongolia is sandwiched between two neighbours, China and Russia, whose regimes are somewhat different from Western countries and, possibly, as Paula L. Mongolia’s constitution by the People’s Great Khural, which was adopted in 1992, proclaims its overall goal as “Developing humanitarian and civil democratic society” in order to ensure that people of Mongolia exercise state power using “democracy” to its largest possible extent and content. The constitution is grounded in classic and liberal democracy, including major values of modern democracy, such as equality, the rule of law, constitutional political government, justice, the respect for private property and the protection of fundamental rights, which guarantees freedom of speech

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Conclusion