Conclusion

Abstract

Since its independence, the USA has been a champion of democracy and liberal values in the international community. Its attempts to spread the democratic system of government around the globe have been varied in their success across times and places and they have been met with reactions varying from unconditional welcoming to outright hostility. The explorations of US democratization efforts found in this book provide examples of this range of reactions and outcomes. The different perspectives of scholars from around the globe provide a unique insight into the significant debate about what democratization is, what the process looks like, and the effectiveness of efforts to assist it. The many aspects of US democracy assistance covered in this volume demonstrate the wide array of activities in which the USA is engaged around the world that different states consider to be aiding in the process of democratization. They provide some examples, then, of the different possible definitions of the concept. Assessing the effectiveness of these efforts in objective terms is just as difficult because of the debate over exactly what constitutes democratization. There is a clear sense throughout the chapters of this book that there is a level of dissatisfaction and disappointment surrounding the USA’s involvement in the countries that have been examined. That disappointment is a result of different actions in countries. The USA may be seen to have intervened too much, not enough, or just not in the right way.