ABSTRACT
Democratisation consists of more than simply introducing polling booths and the freedom to organise parties into states where these did not previously exist. It is also a broader question of how the state relates to the people who exist within the boundaries of its jurisdiction. Can a state’s citizens expect fair and equal treatment under the law? Do they have freedom of speech, thought and faith? Or the freedom to own property? In the absence of these guarantees of individual freedom the right to vote or to participate in political institutions can easily become a token right. In addition to these rights there is the question of the provision which the state makes for the many who are excluded from full participation in society through no fault of their own. Does the state provide affordable health care, financial assistance for the unemployed and the elderly? A state, which does not value its citizens, is likely to be treated with suspicion by those within its jurisdiction. Democracy, rule by and for the people, must care about the people.
