by George Ivanov

Created on: November 21, 2008   Last Updated: May 03, 2011

The Relationship between democracy and ethnic conflict

The words democracy comes from the Greek words demos and kratis. The first translates to many, while the second refers to rule; in other words, the rule of the many. Of course, in the context of the Athenian city-state that established it, democracy adopts an entirely different definition compared to the contemporary democratic systems.

Throughout the twentieth century, there have been several waves of democratization and consequent regression. Currently, we are in the fourth wave, which began in the 1970s, and continues to this day, as more states now, than in any other time in history, are experimenting with the implementation of democratic systems of government.

After the end of the Cold War, Eastern European states, those that were allies of the USSR, and those that were established after 1989, along with many African and Middle Eastern countries, began the painful transition towards democratic regimes. The one factor that has to be taken into account is that each nation-state is unique. In other words, while there may be a dominant group, several ethnicities, or nations, could reside on the territory of a state.

In regions with a long history of strife, there may exist a historical dislike, and sometimes, outright hatred between different ethnic groups. Such is the case in Iraq between Shiites and Sunnis, for example, or between Bulgarians and Turks in the Balkans. The challenge to democracy in those instances is to reconcile opposed ethnic groups and prevent the escalation of violence between them.

A good example of internal violence between ethnic groups that I can provide, is between Turks and Kurds, along with the latter's KPP party, and desire for an independent state, which Turkey is opposed to; as a consequence, since 1984, tens of thousands have been killed in the confrontation.

For a democracy to take hold in a state there must first develop a civil society. In other words, a society that holds the government accountable, participates in the political process in a number of ways, such as volunteerism and voting, and upholds rights and freedoms, which are guaranteed by the state. Ethnic conflict prevents the development of such a society simply by the use of violence. Democracy requires political stability in order to prosper, and that condition can be achieved through the cessation of hostilities between the particular warring groups. The way this can be done is a promise for joint participation

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