The Failure of Democratic Nation Building: Ideology Meets Evolution

1. Front Matter

   Pages I-XIII

   PDF

2. Introduction

   • Albert Somit, Steven A. Peterson

   Pages 1-8

3. Authoritarian Government: The Default Option

   • Albert Somit, Steven A. Peterson

   Pages 9-23

4. What is a Democracy?: Toward a Working Definition

   • Albert Somit, Steven A. Peterson

   Pages 25-33

5. Democratic Nation Building: From Concept to Operational “Checklist”

   • Albert Somit, Steven A. Peterson

   Pages 35-46

6. Democracy: The Requisite “Enabling Conditions” — No Small Order

   • Albert Somit, Steven A. Peterson

   Pages 47-60

7. Will the Real Democracies Please Stand Up?

   • Albert Somit, Steven A. Peterson

   Pages 61-75

8. American Nation Building, 1945–2005: Costs and Consequences

   • Albert Somit, Steven A. Peterson

   Pages 77-92

9. The Fourth “Whereas”

   • Albert Somit, Steven A. Peterson

   Pages 93-109

10. “Therefore Be It Resolved …”: Toward More Realistic Foreign and Domestic Policies

    • Albert Somit, Steven A. Peterson

    Pages 111-116

11. Back Matter

    Pages 117-159

    PDF

Throughout history authoritarian governments have outnumbered democratic ones to an overwhelming degree. Even today, true democracies are an exception. In this book, Somit and Peterson argue that the main reason for this pattern is that humans are social primates with an innate tendency for hierarchical and authoritarian social and political structures. Democracy requires very special 'enabling conditions' before it can be supported by a state, conditions that require decades to evolve. As a result, attempts to export democracy through nation-building to states without these enabling conditions are doomed to failure. The authors argue that money and energy devoted to nation-building around the globe by the U.S. would be better spent on problems facing the country domestically.

• democracy
• energy
• government
• ideology
• state
• development policy

'Al Somit and Steve Peterson have written a book that is provocative, unconventional, and all too persuasive. Even if U.S. policies were more thoughtful and consistent, the efforts to create democratic regimes in the Third World are likely to fail: given the trajectory of genetic and cultural evolution, most of us are more comfortable with social systems that are stratified and hierarchical. Democracy requires eternal vigilance, which is a lot of trouble. With a choice between the liberté, egalité, and fraternité trinity and the combination of security and prosperity, most of us will settle for the latter.'- J. David Singer, University of Michigan, USA

ALBERT SOMIT is Professor Emeritus at Southern Illinois University, USA. He has served as Executive Vice-President of SUNY-Buffalo and President of Southern Illinois University. He is a pioneer of biopolitics.

STEVEN A. PETERSON is Professor of Politics, Penn State University at Harrisburg, USA and Director of its School of Public Affairs. He has authored or edited 15 books, mostly in the area of public policy. His research interests include political behaviour, political psychology, and biology and politics.

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