How Development Leads to Democracy by Ronald Inglehart and Christian Welzel - Essay Example

The second is the apparent import-substitution strategies of “backward nations” such as Cuba, Myanmar, and North Korea which have grown the least in terms of political and economic growth. Finally, in contrast to backward nations, the democratization of South Korea and Taiwan confirm the logical flow of liberal economic policies leading to democratic political awareness to further growth and modernization. One of the more ambiguous arguments posited by the author, which may need further investigation is that correlations do not necessarily mean causality.

In fact, in a system of institutions, the argument of endogeneity, that is, what really leads to what is often the case of debate. Is it that modernization causes democracy or democracy causes modernization? Even so, there are so many other variables in a system that can cause democracy or modernization. Finally, it is important to note that modernization, according to the author is a syndrome of social changes linked to industrialization, which penetrate all aspects of life, bringing occupational specialization, urbanization, rising educational levels rising life expectancy, and rapid economic growth.

All these seem very promising, especially in the lieu of democratic institutions which promote equal and equitable social justice.