Issue ? 27. June 2011

The Model of Democratic Transitions and Trans-nationalization of Political Elites in the 'Developing Countries'

Graduate student, Plytical Analysis Department, School of Public Administration, Lomonosov Moscow State University.

In his analysis of democratic transitions Harvard University professor Samuel Huntington, whose approach became classic, if not orthodox, for many political scientists, used the image of the wave as a kind of social element and presented the process of democratization of the Third world countries as the naturally determined stage of their development. Opposite point of view was expressed by the professor of the University of California W.I. Robinson. He states that the contemporary democratization is the externally managed and thoughtfully planned process, which promotes the interests of western and transnational elites. His concept of “democracy promotion” is proved by the experience of many countries, including Russia, and provides more sound understanding of democratic transitions. Extensive empirical data, systematized by W. Robinson and other scientists, allows the reconstruction of a general model of the democratic transitions of the “third wave”.

Keywords

Democracy, transnational elites, democratic transitions, neoliberal paradigm, economical and political intervention of the West.