Democratization succeeds mainly where Christian and Western influence is strong.

Evidence

During the 1970s and 1980s over thirty countries shifted from authoritarian to democratic political systems. Several causes were responsible for this wave of transitions. Economic development was undoubtedly the major underlying factor generating these political changes. In addition, however, the policies and action of the United States, the major Western European powers, and international institutions helped to bring democracy to Spain and Portugal, many Latin American countries, the Philippines, South Korea, and Eastern Europe. Democratization was most successful in countries where Christian and Western influences were strong. New democratic regimes appeared most likely to stabilize in the Southern and Central European countries that were predominantly Catholic or Protestant and, less certainly, in Latin American countries. In East Asia, the Catholic and heavily American influenced Philippines returned to democracy in the 1980s, while Christian leaders promoted movement toward democracy in South Korea and Taiwan. As has been pointed out previously, in the former Soviet Union, the Baltic republics appear to be successfully stabilizing democracy; the degree and stability of democracy in the Orthodox republics vary considerably and are uncertain; democratic prospects in the Muslim republics are bleak. By the 1990s, except for Cuba, democratic transitions had occurred in most of the countries, outside Africa, whose peoples espoused Western Christianity or where major Christian influences existed. — Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the…, 513 (#corroborates, via linked claim)

Moreover, there is another, secular route toward nice behavior: effective institutions that encourage cooperation and high levels of trust. Atheists as well as theists who are socialized in such secular societies have powerful incentives to be prosocial that are not immediately motivated by religion. Where there are strong institutions that govern public life—that is, where people are reassured that contracts are enforced, competition is fair, and cheaters will be punished—levels of trust and cooperation are high for everyone, believers and nonbelievers alike. And it appears that believers who do live in such secular societies with strong rule of law (see chapter 5) are influenced by this fact, and for them the idea that religion is necessary for morality is not as compelling. As a result, they are not as driven to distrust atheists. — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 250 (#complicates, via linked claim)

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: Democratic transitions succeeded mainly where Western Christian influence was strong — Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the…, 513; Democracy exists where led groups can pass into the leading group — Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks, 1869; Post-Communist democratic progress follows the Catholic-Protestant versus Orthodox dividing line (+1 more)

Broader Connections

• Democratic transitions succeeded mainly where Western Christian influence was strong #corroborates (1.00) — Samuel P. Huntington, The Clash of Civilizations and the…, 513
• Post-Communist democratic progress follows the Catholic-Protestant versus Orthodox dividing line #exemplifies (0.92)
• Strong secular institutions raise trust and cooperation for believers and nonbelievers alike #complicates (0.78) — Norenzayan, Ara, Big gods - how religion transformed…, 250
• Democracy exists where led groups can pass into the leading group #complicates (0.75) — Antonio Gramsci, Selections from the Prison Notebooks, 1869