POLI 319 Lecture Notes - Lecture 21: Populism, Bourgeoisie, Proletariat
28 May 2016
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Document Summary
Wednesday 23, march: modernisation theory: economic development needs to come first. Evolution of theory: democratic transitions literature: education for the masses and the welfare state are the consequences of democracy rather than a precondition for democracy itself. Wave of democratisation that needs to be studied for a theoretical approach that highlights the implications in latin america. Modernisation theory, from the west in 50s and 60s, assumed that economic modernisation was a prerequisite for democracy or at least economic development would make democracy easier to achieve. But looking at democratic transition unfold, especially in latin america, really served as a template for scholars to observe these processes of change more broadly. Latin american cases proved that ingredients that modernisation theory considered requisites were actually outgrowth of democracy. Democracy itself was a requisite for that change socially and economically speaking not the other way around. The welfare state, mass literacy and education programs, were facilitated through the spread of democratisation.
