Discuss The Causes Of The Third Wave Of Democratization (Essay Sample)

The Third Wave of Democratization
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Introduction
The third wave of democratization is used in e description of the global trend which has seen over sixty countries through Europe, Asia, Latin America, and Africa go through some kind of democratic transitions since Carnation Revolution of 1974 in Portugal. The term Third wave is used by scholars of democratic transitions and democratization through the developing world. However, the term has come under criticism by individuals that view democratic transitions as shifts to semi-authoritarian rule that is necessitated by international certainties of post-cold war world. There are various causes of the third wave of democratization.
The first cause is the global acceptance of democracy principles and values by the 1970s. It led to the loss of validity of authoritarian administrations in the eyes of the citizens. In order for authoritarian regimes to be in power, there was a dependence on god economic performance and the resistance to the crisis was reduced hence performance legitimacy. The second reason is the economic growth experienced globally in the 1960s which raised living standards in many countries, (Huntington, 1993). Economic growth gave way to better educated middle class which led to the call of democratic reforms. Poverty is an obstacle for both consolidation and transition of democracy hence economic growth is a key factor that produces cultural changes.
The third cause is the change in the Catholic Church doctrine. Three quarters of the countries involved in the third wave were catholic. The Western culture of Christianity due to its va...