Regional Integration and Democratic Conditionality: How Democracy Clauses Help Democratic Consolidation and Deepening

ISBN-13: 9781138287211 / Angielski / Miękka / 2016 / 186 str.

Gaspare M. Genna; Taeko Hiroi

Opis

How effective are democracy clauses of regional integration organizations (RIOs) in promoting democratization and democratic consolidation among member-states? RIOs are increasingly adopting "democracy only" clauses in their treaties, requiring democracy and political stability as a condition of membership. Stable democracy is a collective good for RIO members; without political stability, uncertainty regarding economic exchange increases, undermining the promise of integration. The presence of powerful countries may be necessary for the RIOs to legalize democratic conditionality. In this book, the authors argue that once established democracy clauses exert an independent influence in promoting and defending democratic norms and institutions within the member-states by increasing the transparency and credibility of democratic commitment and sanctions for violation. The findings based on the analysis of 40 RIOs around the world and in-depth analysis of the European Union, the Common Market of the South, and the Economic Community of West African States indicate that RIO democracy clauses help prevent democratic backsliding and coups and stimulate democratization and consolidation. With its global scope, originality, and theoretical rigor, this is the first book to catalogue democracy clauses adopted by RIOs worldwide with a thorough analysis of their effectiveness.

Spis treści

Selected Contents: Introduction Chapter 1. Regional Integration and Democratic Conditionality Chapter 2. The Mechanisms of Formal Democratic Conditionality Chapter 3. Origins of Formal Democratic Conditionality Chapter 4. Do Democracy Clauses Matter? The Effects of Formal Democratic Conditionality on Coups, Backsliding, and Democratic Progress Chapter 5. The European Union Chapter 6. The Common Market of the South Chapter 7. The Economic Community of West African States Conclusion. References. Index