14
The Political Returns of Democratic Governance
economic and social growth, in other words, measurable material
development. The participatory aspect of democratic governance
alters the dynamic of how priorities are decided and who does so.
This generates a window through which alternative ideas are proposed
and openly debated and resources possibly allocated. The process
also fosters a key distinction in the development process between
government and private initiative and ownership. In some cases a formal
partnerships can ensue to achieve broader common goals. Real-world
experience tells us that the interaction between democratic governance
and development is not an automatic one; democratic governance is
by nature a somewhat unpredictable process, and its absence draws
attention to the proposition that development may be possible without
democratic governance. The Soviet Union and its current residual
byproduct, Cuba, proved that notion wrong; today China is the most
visible alternative example, but most likely a misleading one in the
long run. There is a tinge of democratic fervor in the commentary by
the Chinese bureaucrat quoted in the opening pages of this paper and
an implied admission that citizen opinions and interests do matter in
order to fulfill the country’s ambitious economic growth targets. But
that limited conceptualization of citizens’ role in governance suggests
that the current Chinese model of economic and social development is
probably unsustainable politically.
Seventh, the Latin American context of democratic governance also
generates ancillary developmental benefits in transitional peace
processes and post-conflict environments. For starters, this produces
a structured, non-violent context for debate, a respect for open
communication and procedures, and encourages a more transparent
adherence to the rule of law. The same participatory attributes of
democratic governance that engender development become the fragile
backbone that enlarges political and economic space. The experience
has been uneven, notably in Central America, but points to the
significance of local governance programming to reenergize that space.
Colombia’s more successful evolution after the late 1990s underscores
this point even if there is much still to be achieved.
