Strategic responses to autocratization in international democracy promotion

Abstract

How do states engaged in international democracy promotion react to current autocratization trends? Research on autocratization so far focuses on its patterns, causes, and consequences. However, governments pursuing democracy promotion abroad had to respond to these challenges. They adjusted projects and diplomatic practices but possibly also overall strategies. While scholars started to analyse individual cases and specific challenges, we lack systematic knowledge on strategic responses: How have governments adapted their foreign and development policies aimed at promoting democracy in a changing global context? This article contributes to filling this gap by analysing how three key states with traditionally different approaches to democracy promotion – Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States – have responded to autocratization at the level of overall foreign and development policy strategy. Based on a qualitative content analysis of official documents, refined by expert interviews, we assess (1) whether and how autocratization as a challenge to democracy promotion is discussed and (2) which responses and (needs for) policy adaptation are identified. In comparing the three cases, we suggest that the perception of autocratization, underlying democracy conceptions and approaches to democracy promotion as well as party-political configurations help explain commonalities and differences in the strategic responses.