ABSTRACT
Discussions of democracy and all its models are always tainted with some level of ideological thinking and political categorization. In order to sideline ideology and look deeper into the “democratic identity” of both actors, this chapter examines the role the state plays in American and European societies and how these perceptions can manifest themselves in the models of democracy the actors adopt and prefer to formulate in their democracy assistance policies and programs. Furthermore, the chapter maps the political thinking which helped form contemporary democracies in the US and the EU. Varying interest in and influences of classical liberalism, socialism and other strands of political thought have strongly shaped the models of democracy each actor employs at home. The nuances of the respective perceptions of democracy and of the legitimacy of governance across the Atlantic are analyzed – this approach helps build a clearer picture of the “democratic identity” of both actors.
