ABSTRACT
Twenty years ago, Samuel P. Huntington (1991: 263) argued that “Democracy becomes consolidated when people learn that democracy is a solution to the problem of tyranny, but not necessarily to anything else.” This is, to say the least, a low-key attitude to the merits of democracy. It is also one that stands in stark contrast to the euphoric scenes that have often characterized the fall of many a dictator in many a place. Particularly memorable is the joy and hope of a new and better future which was expressed in the East-Central European capitals in 1989 to 1990 in connection with the collapse of communist one-party rule (Ash 1990). The vast majority of the people were beside themselves with glee, and everywhere there was hope for a new and better future – politically, economically, and socially. So who is right? The skeptic Huntington, or the optimistic masses in Europe, Africa, Asia, and Latin America that were liberated from autocratic rule in recent decades? In this chapter, our main emphasis lies on whether democracy has a competitive edge over other regime forms regarding equality, economic growth, and efficient reactions to large-scale human catastrophes. However, before delving into these issues, we address the normative and political import of focusing on these (potential) effects.
