Multilateral Strategies to Promote Democracy
Multilateral Strategies to Promote Democracy

Multilateral Strategies to Promote Democracy

Jan 27, 2004

A panel of high-level peers met at the Council to develop multilateral strategies for democracy promotion. Impatient with the usual critique and lamentation, the participants focused on constructive avenues to produce change.

The discussion begins with two diagnostic questions: What is the state of democratization in the world today? How have democracy promotion strategies changed since September 11, given the transformed U.S. agenda of war on terror? The panelists provide insightful and important answers to these panoramic questions.

The panelists then explore the effectiveness of four strategies for promoting democracy:

  • • Do
economic reforms help or harm budding democracies?

• How useful are indirect methods of democracy promotion, such as building civil societies and independent judiciaries.

• When does it make sense to engage in direct confrontations with undemocratic rulers, from “naming and shaming” through to military conflict?

• How can multilateral institutions and multi-stakeholder initiatives better encourage democratization?

The discussion concludes with a critique of whether economic incentives, such as sanctions, can motivate obedience to international democratic norms.

You may also like

SEP 2, 2026 Article

Ethics on Film: Discussion of "The Brink of War"

This review of "The Brink of War" discusses issues relating to nuclear ethics in its depiction of the 1986 Reykjavik Summit between Reagan and Gorbachev.

AUG 20, 2026 Article

The Status of Migration in 2025 and Beyond: Trans-Atlantic Perspectives

In November 2025, Carnegie Council’s Model International Mobility Convention initiative and Helvetas hosted a discussion on the state of migration and practical areas for cooperation.

AUG 11, 2026 Podcast

Preparing Ethical Leaders in a Fragmented World

Noah Bopp, founder of The School for Ethics and Global Leadership, discusses educating the next generation of leaders amid polarization and institutional decline.

Non traduit

Ce contenu n'a pas encore été traduit dans votre langue. Vous pouvez demander une traduction en cliquant sur le bouton ci-dessous.

Demande de traduction