Democratization and security in Africa: An elusive relationship
This article probes the relationship between democratization and security in recent African experience. Its theoretical point of departure is the fashionable “democracy nostrum"— the idea that democracies do not make war on each other, and hence that international security can be advanced by promoting democracy abroad. In this light, it poses the question: how have processes of democratization in Africa affected its security prospects? The article draws on the cases of South Africa, Mozarnbique, and Uganda to demonstrate that while democratization can lead to dear improvements in national and regional security prospects, it can also be of marginal medium‐term significance for security and stability, or even positively counter‐productive. Moreover, continental prospects for democratization and security will remain poor so long as socio‐economic conditions do not improve. The article concludes by considering some broad policy implications for Canada.