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The Myth of Universal Conditions: Why Development Does Not Equal Democracy

Braconier Tyrenius, Sophia LU and Resmalm, Emilia LU (2025) NEKH02 20251
Department of Economics
Abstract (Swedish)
The following thesis investigates the extent to which economic development influences the initiation and consolidation of democracy in Asia. Based on modernization theory and its critiques, the study conducts a quantitative panel data analysis covering 46 Asian countries from 1970 - 2019. Modernization theory suggests that rising income levels, urbanization, education, and social development foster a politically engaged middle class, demanding democracy. The analysis includes interaction terms so that the relationship between economic development and democracy can be analyzed under different social and historical circumstances. The results challenge the core assumption of modernization theory, as economic development does not consistently... (More)
The following thesis investigates the extent to which economic development influences the initiation and consolidation of democracy in Asia. Based on modernization theory and its critiques, the study conducts a quantitative panel data analysis covering 46 Asian countries from 1970 - 2019. Modernization theory suggests that rising income levels, urbanization, education, and social development foster a politically engaged middle class, demanding democracy. The analysis includes interaction terms so that the relationship between economic development and democracy can be analyzed under different social and historical circumstances. The results challenge the core assumption of modernization theory, as economic development does not consistently lead to higher democratic levels in Asia. Instead, its effect is conditional, where economic development strengthens democracy in countries with high education levels, Muslim majority population, and high natural resource dependency but weakens it in post Soviet countries, and in highly urbanized and ethnically fragmented societies. Women’s empowerment shows a strong positive effect on democracy, independent of income. These patterns highlight the limitations of one-size-fits-all explanations of democracy and underscore the importance of structural and historical conditions. In Asia, democracy is not an automatic outcome of prosperity, but rather a context-dependent process. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Braconier Tyrenius, Sophia LU and Resmalm, Emilia LU
supervisor
organization
course
NEKH02 20251
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
Democracy, Economic Development, Asia, Modernization Theory
language
English
id
9197961
date added to LUP
2025-09-12 09:15:16
date last changed
2025-09-12 09:15:16
@misc{9197961,
  abstract     = {{The following thesis investigates the extent to which economic development influences the initiation and consolidation of democracy in Asia. Based on modernization theory and its critiques, the study conducts a quantitative panel data analysis covering 46 Asian countries from 1970 - 2019. Modernization theory suggests that rising income levels, urbanization, education, and social development foster a politically engaged middle class, demanding democracy. The analysis includes interaction terms so that the relationship between economic development and democracy can be analyzed under different social and historical circumstances. The results challenge the core assumption of modernization theory, as economic development does not consistently lead to higher democratic levels in Asia. Instead, its effect is conditional, where economic development strengthens democracy in countries with high education levels, Muslim majority population, and high natural resource dependency but weakens it in post Soviet countries, and in highly urbanized and ethnically fragmented societies. Women’s empowerment shows a strong positive effect on democracy, independent of income. These patterns highlight the limitations of one-size-fits-all explanations of democracy and underscore the importance of structural and historical conditions. In Asia, democracy is not an automatic outcome of prosperity, but rather a context-dependent process.}},
  author       = {{Braconier Tyrenius, Sophia and Resmalm, Emilia}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{The Myth of Universal Conditions: Why Development Does Not Equal Democracy}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}