#146 The United States, Latin America, Democracy: Variations on a Very Old Theme

By Guillermo O'Donnell

From the Introduction

This essay revolves around a simple argument: despite the world economic crisis and its particularly severe repercussions in Latin America, and despite the Reagan administration's regrettable way of viewing Latin America, other trends have recently emerged in the region which encourage the creation and--perhaps eventually--the consolidation of democratic regimes. This possibility, and the opportunities which are appearing for conscious pro-democratic actions, is mainly the outcome of a costly learning process which Latin American countries experienced either first-hand or in neighboring states during the last two decades of particularly repressive and socially regressive authoritarian regimes. A wide range of political, social, and cultural forces in Latin America has criticized this authoritarianism and its innumerable societal repercussions. This critique has created nothing less than the renewed valuation of constitutional democracy per se, as an important goal in and of itself.

These factors may become decisive. But they are subtle and must be recognized as such -- It is impossible to determine a priori how much they "weigh" in the balance against economic crisis and numerous other authoritarian threats. For this reason--with the partial exceptions of Central America and the Caribbean--domestic political and social forces hold principal responsibility for success or failure in achieving democratic goals. However, both the United States government (or more precisely, the various government agencies which shape United States' policy toward Latin America) and the United States' private sector can make important contributions--through positive actions, and by ending other policies and practices--to this process. It is not merely a question of the United States "exporting" democracy to Latin America. One need not believe that past or future United States' policies toward the region are motivated primarily by a concern with promoting democratic values, or that democratic political arrangements in Latin America should be patterned on United States' organizations and procedures. Rather the United States must recognize that it has a medium and long-term interest in the creation of politically open and socially progressive institutions throughout the hemisphere.