On The Relationship Between NGO And Democratization In Africa

In recent years more and more people become interested in the study of NGO, democratization and Africa. However, few people in China study the relationship between NGO and democratization in Africa. This thesis tries to fill in the blank. In the first chapter, I clarify the concept and some relevant theories of democracy, review the process of democratic development and analyze a few barriers in the democratization in Africa. The second chapter is a comprehensive study and theoretical analysis, including the development of NGOs in Africa, the typology of NGO, the relationship between NGO and government and the theoretical role of NGO in democratization. The third and fourth chapters are case studies of Kenya and Uganda. The case study of Kenya clarifies that NGO sector plays a positive role in democratization of Africa but individual NGOs may not. Uganda is a model of economic liberalization and success in Africa. The case study of Uganda shows some negative factors of NGO in promoting democracy in Africa in the context of economic liberalization. The fifth chapter is the conclusion of this thesis. According to my study the conclusion is as follows: the development of NGO sector is the necessary condition but not the sufficient condition of democratization in Africa; in Africa NGO is not the initiator of democratization, it is only a reactor to the democratic wave outside and the government oppression inside; the development of NGO sector strengthens the civil society and thus contributes positively to the democratization; however, at the present time NGO's contribution to democratization in Africa is seriously limited by the economic, social, historic barriers and the inner limitations of NGO sector.