Current Issues:Democracy In and Around our World

Beth RoeSecondary Social Studies

ED 448/winter 2001Dr. Helms

Democracy Around the World

Democracy: Government in which the officials are elected by the

citizens of that country.

As of 1999, 117 of the World’s

Nations were Democratic in nature

Map of Freedom as of 1999

Core Belief of Democracy: All persons should be treated equalequal and with respectrespect and dignity

Democracies are not usually

imperialisticimperialistic—that means we respect other countries and don’t try to take over their land and territory

Democracies usually have Free-Market Economies (follows the law of supply and demand)

The law of supply and demand: An

economic principle that says that the

consumer (us) will purchase less of

something at a higher price and more

of something if it is a lower price.

The Spread of Democracy

It took over 150 years for the U.S.

to finally become a free nation—it

wasn’t until we abolished slavery

and emancipated women that we

truly became a “land of liberty”.

How did democracies become so popular?

European Empires Collapse: 17th, 18th,

and 19th CenturiesFrench, German, Dutch, Spanish, British, etc…all had colonies all over world

Reasons Why European Empires Reasons Why European Empires Collapsed:Collapsed:

Very expensive to maintainAll of the mother countries had colonies all over the world…not

enough military power to subdue every rebellion

United States ideas of freedom, liberty, and equality

After WWII: 1950’s-1970’sCountries gained Independence and aligned with U.S. or the

U.S.S.R.

United States:East GermanyGreat BritainFranceNetherlandsWestern European Countries…for the most part

United Soviet Socialist Republic:

East GermanyPolandCzechoslovakiaHungaryYugoslaviaRussian States

Fall of the Iron Curtain:In 1991, many Communistic countries collapse and conduct democratic election for the first time in their history…always been ruled by communistscommunists or monarchistsmonarchists

Communism:System of government in which people have little or no say…gov’t owns all means of production

Monarchy:Government by kings or queens of one family

Note:

Just because countries turn to democracy does not mean that they will be able to maintain this system of government!

Examples:• Peru• Middle East• Russia

The United States Role in Democratization

How?We establish diplomatic tiesMake Military AlliancesTrade with new nationsOffer Foreign AidUse our military for intervention

U.S.’s role: Continued

Where have we intervened?Haiti• We put Jean Bertrand-Aristide back into

power– 1993-1994

Bosnia• Committed 20,000 troops—Peace Accords

negtioated here at WPAFB

Somalia

Haiti

The Former Yugoslavia—Bosnia

Somalia

“Human Rights”

What are they?

Human Rights are those rights that every human being should be granted regardless of what country they live in or the type of government that they follow. • The United Nations has written a The United Nations has written a

Universal Declaration of Human RightsUniversal Declaration of Human Rights

“Human Rights” ContinuedThe UN was The UN was founded after founded after WWII to allow WWII to allow Nations to find Nations to find peaceful ways of peaceful ways of dealing with dealing with conflict. They conflict. They also call for basic also call for basic human rights, human rights, and offer and offer humanitarian aid humanitarian aid to needy to needy countries.countries.

The Universal Declaration of The Universal Declaration of Human RightsHuman Rights

All people deserve/have a right to:Gov’t protection from genocidegenocide, slavery, torture, cruel and unusual punishment…Basic human rights of: food, shelter, education, and health careCivil and Political LibertiesFreedom from discrimination—race, gender, religion, etc…

Human Rights Atrocities

H itle r's Th ird R e ichTh e H o locas t

6 m illion Jew s k illed

S ovie t U n ionJosep h S ta lin

K illed over 1 0 m illionP o lit ica l P rison ers

K h m er R ou g e in C am b od iaP o l P o t

K illed over 1 m illionC am b od ian C it izen s

A troc it ies in2 0 th C en tu ry H is to ry

E xam p les :