Construction of Liberal Democracy: The Role of Civil-Military Institutions in State and Nation-Building in West Germany and South Africa

摘要

With their first apparently successful democratic elections behind them, the future Afghan and Iraqi governments must now refocus their attention on the construction and consolidation of legitimate political, economic, and social institutions. Both the short-term authority and effectiveness of the representative government hinge directly on the development of these institutions and the extent to which they are regarded as reasonably efficient in satisfying the core needs of Afghan and Iraqi citizens. Long-term authority, however, is another matter altogether; one that depends, in part, on the formation of a robust civil society. This is a tall order to say the least. Nonetheless, the challenge of state-building is not new to post-September 11, 2001 (9/11) Afghanistan or post-2003 Iraq. Significantly, these and other fledgling liberal democracies will not be forced to approach these formidable challenges on their own and instead can count on varying levels of assistance from the United States and the international community.