Challenges to Challenges to DemocracyDemocracy

EconomicsEconomics

Large numbers of people are poor.Large numbers of people are poor. The wealthy might also believe The wealthy might also believe

democracy threatens them as well.democracy threatens them as well.

Uneven distribution of wealth creates Uneven distribution of wealth creates threats to democracy from the poor threats to democracy from the poor and the rich.and the rich.

Weak Administrative CapacityWeak Administrative Capacity

Because private business does not Because private business does not run like it does here people look to run like it does here people look to the government for work.the government for work.

The problem is jobs go to political The problem is jobs go to political supporters not the right people.supporters not the right people.

The government in order to get their The government in order to get their struggling economies going struggling economies going regulated more and was more regulated more and was more involved with the economyinvolved with the economy

1. corruption runs wild; jobs go to 1. corruption runs wild; jobs go to friends rather than who deserves it.friends rather than who deserves it.

2. the government doesn’t know 2. the government doesn’t know how to collect taxes. Without the how to collect taxes. Without the taxes they can’t provided services.taxes they can’t provided services.

Delivery of servicesDelivery of services

Many states can’t deliver the most Many states can’t deliver the most basic of services. Water, sewage, basic of services. Water, sewage, phones, roads, crime prevention.phones, roads, crime prevention.

As populations grow the ability to As populations grow the ability to deliver the goods is harder.deliver the goods is harder.

Expectations of votersExpectations of voters

Politicians make promises they Politicians make promises they cannot keep.cannot keep.

We are use to that here but if you We are use to that here but if you are just starting out people will lose are just starting out people will lose faith.faith.

Disloyal oppositionDisloyal opposition

These people don’t just like the These people don’t just like the person they hate the system.person they hate the system.

Military coup, drug traffickers, and Military coup, drug traffickers, and guerilla insurgencies are examples of guerilla insurgencies are examples of disloyal opposition.disloyal opposition.

Military coups have been attempted Military coups have been attempted in Haiti and Venezuela.in Haiti and Venezuela.

Drug cartels in Columbia, Peru, Drug cartels in Columbia, Peru, Bolivia, and Mexico bribe and Bolivia, and Mexico bribe and threaten judges and policethreaten judges and police

Zapatista rebels in Southern Mexico Zapatista rebels in Southern Mexico and the Shining Path in Peru showed and the Shining Path in Peru showed people that if you ignore the poor people that if you ignore the poor they make take up arms against you.they make take up arms against you.