Page "Democratization" Paragraph 16

* Previous experience with democracy.

According to some theorists, the presence or absence of democracy in a country's past can have a significant effect on its later dealings with democracy.

Some argue, for example, that it is very difficult ( or even impossible ) for democracy to be implemented immediately in a country that has no prior experience with it.

Instead, they say, democracy must evolve gradually.

Others, however, say that past experiences with democracy can actually be bad for democratization — a country, such as Pakistan, in which democracy has previously failed may be less willing or able to go down the same path again.