THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND DEMOCRATIZATION

The study of democratization is a central topic in comparative politics, particularly regarding the likelihood of rich dictatorships transitioning to democracies compared to poor dictatorships. This debate revolves around two main approaches: the "modernization hypothesis," which suggests that economic development drives democratization, and the "critical junctures hypothesis," which posits that a variety of historical factors, rather than income alone, determine political trajectories. This paper delves into these contrasting perspectives to analyze the complex relationship between wealth and democracy in different nations