ABSTRACT
Democratization refers to the shift from non-democratic to democratic forms of government. It involves expanding the size of the electorate, typically by lifting the property, literacy, or gender requirements that keep the poor, the uneducated or females from voting. Democratization improves protection for individual rights by restricting the ability of state officials to jail or otherwise harass their critics. It amplifies the power of elected officials by curtailing the authority of unelected officials, especially those of monarchs and military officers. And it makes citizens, at regularly scheduled intervals, responsible for selecting executives and legislatures in relatively free and fair elections.
