Democracy: A Comparative Analysis

Democracy is a term that is defined as a regime that is free, fair, and equal when it comes to building the framework for society and the government in order to control a society. According to the United Nations, democratization is a term that is used to describe the enhancement of democracy throughout the means of promoting good governance through both political and structural use in order to aid in the equity of a country. Linz and Stepan (1996) argues that there are five arenas that identify a consolidated democracy. The first is civil society in which there is a check on state power. Secondly, there is a political society in which power is legitimately arranged. Third, rule of law. Fourth there is bureaucratic structures to maintain violence

Civil societies, according to Diamond (1999), play a critical role in consolidating democracy. This includes the media and civil society organizations which help in the birthing of electoral democracy. When examining the process to consolidate democracy, there is a comparison of both political culture and democracy. The political culture allows for support of democracy through experiences from the political viewpoint. Through the practice of democracy, political culture and governance shapes the way individuals think, their attitude, and the way that they behave (Diamond 1999, 20). Institutionalization is linked to consolidation because it addresses the problems of society and provide liberty for citizens. Democratic consolidation includes civil societies, participation, trust, and credible structures that help in controlling (Diamond 1999, 20). According to Huntington (1991), following the third wave of democratization, Sub- Saharan Africa began to witness the transitioning from a military regime to a democratic regime in a few of its countries.

In July 2012, the Ghanaian President John Atta Mills passed away which resulted in Ghana’s path towards democratic consolidation. The transition that took place among the African country of Ghana was a stable and smooth political transition. Following the death of President John Atta Mills, Ghana

Ghana was the first colony, according to Keller (1995), to gain independence in 1957 from under the leadership of Kwame Nkrumah. When President Jerry Rawlings took reign in Ghana, he stated that liberal democracy failed Ghana. Through this he took initiative and brought Ghana back to a traditional rooted democracy that involved community participation (Bitar & Lowenthal, 2015). Rawlings administration such as the Citizens Vetting Committee, the National Investigation Committee, and the Christian Council of Ghana, aided in the Ghanaians transition to democracy by condemning acts of violence, offering political education, and promoting peace throughout Ghana’s democratic