The Dilemma of Democratic Theory and Political Participation in the Era of Globalization

Abstract

Democracy is only meaningful when conceptualized in terms of popular participation in the political and governmental processes. This fact generates and sustains struggles by states to claim the democratic label, which then leads to numerous theories and concepts of democracy. Some of these theories place political control. in the ordinary citizens while others give pre-eminence to political elite. Elite and citizens theories of democracy are the principal contending theories of democracy. Political participation also generates some theories, some of them are atomietie/individualistic while other are holistic/generalistic. If democracy cannot be conceptualized without participation, it then become necessary to determine which democratic theory and what participatory models are either complementary or congruous.