A.I.D. and Democratic Development: A Synthesis of Literature and Experience

摘要

The report begins with an overview of the literature on the main issues indemocratic development, focusing specifically on what factors constitute democracy. Section 2 focuses on issues that have confronted USAID in designing, implementing, and evaluating democracy promotion programs. These issues include, inter alia, the need to base programs on a deep understanding of the host country's politics, history, culture, and economy; the value of using nongovernmental organizations for grassroots democratic development; and the need for both solid baseline data and for monitoring and evaluation systems. The report's principal finding is that there is no blueprint for democratic development; programs must be based on the customs and aspirations of individual countries.