The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) is a
nonprofit organization working to strengthen and expand democracy worldwide. Calling on a global network of volunteer experts, NDI provides practical assistance to civic and political leaders advancing democratic values, practices and institutions. NDI works with democrats in every region of the world to build political and civic organizations, safeguard elections, and to promote citizen participation, openness and accountability in government.
I. NDI MANDATE AND PHILOSOPHY
The 1984 statute creating the National Endowment
for Democracy (NED) mandated the Endowment
to support U.S.-based organizations
that would work with foreign counterparts
in the development of democracy abroad.
The National Democratic Institute for
International Affairs (NDI) is the independent
organization, affiliated with the Democratic
Party, that was created to conduct nonpartisan
and multipartisan programs to meet the
broad objectives of the NED, namely:
to
promote democratic training programs
and democratic institution-building
abroad;
to strengthen democratic electoral
processes abroad in cooperation
with indigenous democratic forces;
to foster cooperation with those
abroad dedicated to the cultural
values, institutions, and organizations
of democratic pluralism; and
to encourage the establishment and
growth of democratic development
in a manner consistent with the
broad concerns of the national interests
of the United States and with the
specific requirements of the democratic
groups that are aided.
A. Democratic Values and American Self-Interest NDI
firmly believes that the United States
should attach the highest priority to
democratic development as a facet of
foreign assistance.
Democratic values were not generalities
to our founders; they were crystal
clear truths about the only sensible
way to reconcile institutions of government
with human nature. They remain specific,
rational beliefs today. Democracy
requires working democratic structures:
legislatures that represent the people
and oversee the executive; elections
in which the voters actually choose
their leaders; judiciaries, steeped
in the law, that are independent of
outside influences; a system of checks
and balances within society; and institutions
and leaders that are accountable to
the public.
The democratic revolution of the past
decade demonstrates the nearly universal
appeal of those values. The United
States continues to play a unique
leadership role in the promotion of
these values. At the same time, we
also realize that nothing better serves
the interests of the United States
-- economic, political, ideological
-- than the promotion of democratic
practices and institutions.
The notion that there should be a
dichotomy between our moral preferences
and our strategic goals is a false
one. Our ultimate foreign policy goal
is a world that is secure, stable,
humane and safe, and where the risk
of war is minimal. Yet the undeniable
reality is that geostrategic "hot
spots" most likely to erupt into violence
are found, for the most part, in areas
of the world that are nondemocratic
or where governments are anti-democratic.
A democracy remains viable at home
by resolving conflicts within society
nonviolently and through compromise.
Thus, it carries with it a predisposition
to seek solutions abroad that are
neither violent nor maximalist. This
is not to say that democracy is a
perfect insulator against conflict,
or that if all nations were democracies,
ancient enmities would disappear.
They would not. The question, however,
is whether war would still be the
preferred method for resolving conflict
between two democratic adversaries.
B. Economic Development vs. Political Development
The
fall of communism demonstrated that
it is not enough to satisfy the need
for food and shelter, that freedom from
want must be accompanied by freedom
from fear, freedom of inquiry, freedom
of association, and freedom of speech.
Economic development without political
freedom is a contradiction and ultimately
doomed to failure. Democratic political
systems and free-market economies are
two parts of the same process, sustaining
each other. Where guarantees of individual
rights within a society do not exist,
the inevitable result is exploitation,
stratification, disorder and the inability
to compete. This is essentially true
in a world where more nations are embracing
democratic principles.
In the past, the United States has
hoped that development aid could achieve
the kind of economic growth and opportunity
that leads to social stability and
peaceful competition. It has become
increasingly apparent that a growing
number of problems in the developing
world are beyond the reach of traditional
economic aid because, while they have
economic consequences, the problems
are not fundamentally economic, but
political, in nature. In the development
sphere, what ultimately differentiates
nations is not the nature of their
problems but, rather, the ways in
which they resolve them. Truly sustainable
development requires the capacity
to resolve problems without a resort
to violence or repression, in a way
that ultimately adds to the stability
of society and enhances the ability
of the nation to address future problems.
Even from the perspective of traditional
foreign assistance, the establishment
of democratic institutions is the
best way to assure sustainable development.
Rural dislocation, environmental degradation
and agricultural policies that lead
to famine all trace to political systems
in which the victims have no political
voice, in which government institutions
feel no obligation to answer to the
people, and in which special interests
feel free to exploit resources without
fear of oversight or the need to account.
In the former Soviet Union, for instance,
if efforts at economic restructuring
fail to reassure a general public
anxious about its economic well-being,
political reform is likely to collapse.
And without restructured political
institutions, economic reform is unlikely
to succeed. To successfully overcome
the current crisis, reformers in the
former Soviet Union must build up
fledgling democratic institutions
and develop a broader political coalition.
This continues to be a difficult battle
and one that warrants steadfast international
support.
This is not simply a defense mechanism
for the avoidance of chaos in former
Soviet states. The development of
a multitude of pluralistic institutions
is an essential part of the evolution
of a democracy. These institutions
diffuse power and legitimacy from
the center without diminishing it
-- an important concept in a state
like Russia.
C.Democratic Change
The
most significant pressure for democratic
change comes from within a country.
International reaction becomes meaningful
only after domestic forces have created
a critical degree of expectation inside
the country and awareness beyond its
borders. Even then, democratization
rarely results from popular revolution.
The transition to democracy most often
commences with concessions made by
a ruling oligarchy under internal
or external pressure. Such ruling
authorities provide openings for limited
democratic practice by making compromises
in pursuit of self-perpetuation, domestic
tranquility or international legitimacy.
It is this last goal -- legitimacy
-- that has become so important in
a world transformed by interdependence,
connected by the electronic media
and sensitized to the specifics of
human rights.
Each time a democratic institution
takes root, each time a new democratic
government addresses old problems
with peaceful methods, the rationale
for democratic solutions is strengthened
and democratic forces encouraged and
sustained. This in turn makes it harder
for autocrats to arrogate legitimacy
to themselves, or to operate as if
in a political vacuum. Successful
steps toward democracy in one country
are also conducive to democratic transition
in other, particularly neighboring,
countries.
II. NDI APPROACH TO DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT
Three
aspects of NDI's approach to democratic
development work distinguish it from
other organizations carrying out these
activities.
NDI,
along with its Republican counterpart,
is the only organization dedicated
solely to political development
programs.
NDI's programs rely on volunteers
who donate their time and expertise
to support the Institute's hands-on
technical assistance programs.
NDI has structured its programs
to be multinational, marshaling
the talents of expert political
practitioners from the United States
and around the world.
A.NDI's Unique Role as Party Based Institute
NDI
is dedicated to democracy programs centered
on political development work. NDI has
an institutional role that lends itself
to an approach to democratic development
that focuses on the roles and functions
of political parties and other institutions
fundamental to democracy. Parties --
along with civic organizations, legislatures,
election commissions, and others --
function to educate the citizenry, facilitate
popular participation in the political
process, and improve the political,
legal, and governmental environment
within which they operate.
Further, NDI derives uniqueness from
the traditions and accomplishments
of the party it represents. The Institute's
identification with the Democratic
Party, the oldest ongoing political
party in the world and a party that
periodically governs a superpower,
gives NDI a special international
standing and access that stems from
both party traditions and political
realities.
In recognition of this connection,
NDI has consistently strived to maintain
pluralistic relationships abroad,
opting to work on a multiparty basis
to avoid being ideologically pigeonholed
or used for political ends. This approach
helps ensure that NDI's work does
not interfere in a country's political
process, but rather supports broader
democratic development objectives.
NDI's logical partners abroad are
parties and other organizations that
support democratic political activity,
such as civic groups and parliaments.
B.Multinational Approach and Volunteer Network
A
key to promoting democracy efficiently
in a world of limited resources is international
cooperation. The United States is a
model for democracy, but it is not,
nor should it be, the only model. The
United States is an exporter of democracy,
but the cause of democracy is best served
when we are but one exporter among many.
We have been most successful at NDI
when we have joined with others to share
practical democratic skills. We have
found, not surprisingly, that Latin
Americans listen closely to other Latin
Americans who have been through a democratic
transition, just as Africans appreciate
other African experiences and Eastern
Europeans respond to neighbors from
their region.
But cultural affinity is but one element
of successful democracy-building.
As a practical matter, peoples attempting
to make the transition to democracy
require diverse skills and experiences.
The insights of democrats from other
nations are often more relevant than
our own.
Americans have no real experience
with a transition from autocracy to
democracy, but Latin Americans, Europeans,
and many Africans now do. Americans
understand parliamentary systems but
our congressional experience is often
not directly applicable. Yet there
are scores of experts in other nations,
many of them members of parliaments,
who have grown up in parliamentary
systems and who are eager to share
their understanding of how parliamentary
democracy works.
Cooperative approaches such as these
are not merely a matter of common
sense. They convey a deeper truth
to nations attempting a transition
to democracy: that they are not conceding
something to the United States when
they develop democratic institutions;
rather, they are joining a community
of nations. That other nations have
traversed the same course. That while
autocracies are inherently isolated
and fearful of the outside world,
democracies can count on natural allies
and an active support structure. That
other nations are concerned and are
watching -- something that would-be
autocrats will bear in mind.
NDI from its inception has structured
its programs to be multinational.
Our experience has been that would-be
recipients in other nations come to
us with specific requests -- for election
assistance, for help with civic organization
or party-building, for training in
municipal or parliamentary reform.
Each program is tailored to meet the
political needs and cultural sensibilities
of the nation where it will take place.
NDI then will call on experts -- political
party practitioners, civic organizers,
election officials, legislators --
from its network of more than 500
volunteers around the world, to donate
their time and expertise. A typical
training program will involve experts
from half a dozen countries. Election
monitoring missions often bring together
citizens of a dozen or more countries.
The international nature of these
programs sends a powerful message
about the larger concerns of the community
of democratic nations. This approach
also reinforces the message that there
is no ideal democratic system, although
certain core principles are shared
by all democracies.
C.Focus on Process, Programs and Partnerships
What
also distinguishes NDI's democratic
development work is the Institute's
focus on political processes, programs
and partnerships. NDI is not a grant-making
enterprise, but rather an operational
or program-implementing organization.
NDI programs, usually of a technical
assistance nature, concentrate on political
processes and on developing partnerships
-- either on an individual or institutional
basis -- with those involved in the
process of democratic reform and consolidation.
It should be noted that as a program-oriented
organization, NDI requires sufficient
political space in country for its
technical assistance programs to be
carried out. Therefore, the ability
of NDI to work in a given country
will be determined to a significant
degree by the general political situation.
Because NDI's partners abroad are
necessarily engaged in their countries'
political arena, the Institute's program
approach maintains the degree of flexibility
necessary to respond to changing circumstances
in a political environment. Timing
is important in any political enterprise
-- whether it be an election, the
legalization of political parties,
or the signing of a peace accord.
NDI programs are based on continuity
of relationships with its partners
abroad. By maintaining close contacts
over a period of time, NDI is sensitive
to the changing realities in a particular
political situation, such as: evolving
political developments, cultural differences,
or the relevance of American political
techniques. NDI can therefore be responsive
to requests for assistance that, if
provided at the appropriate moment,
can make a positive impact on democratic
change.
Whether a program provides nuts-and-bolts
political training, offers exposure
to the practical experiences of democratic
governance, or encourages international
support for free elections, it is
always part of the NDI plan to strengthen
institutions -- political parties,
civic organizations, legislatures
or electoral systems.
III. NDI PROGRAM ACTIVITIES
Since
1984, NDI has built and sustained a
record of achievement in its democratic
development work. This record results
from a partnership between the Institute
and those committed to strengthening
democratic processes within their countries.
NDI's programs are concentrated in new
democracies, societies in conflict and
non-democratic countries with strong
democratic movements. Working in these
areas, NDI seeks to consolidate existing
democratic institutions and nurture
peaceful transitions to democracy.
NDI does not presume to impose solutions
nor does it believe that one democratic
system can be replicated elsewhere.
Rather, NDI shares experiences and
offers a range of options, so that
leaders of new democracies can select
those practices and institutions that
may work best in their own political
environment.
NDI activities do not stop with elections,
but continue immediately after to
assist the ongoing development of
political institutions -- parties
and legislatures -- as well as those
civic organizations that seek to carry
out nonpartisan political activities
These organizations serve as important
intermediaries between elected officials
and the citizenry.
NDI programs focus on the following
functional areas:
A. Political and Civic Organization 1. Political Party Building
Stable
democracy requires the development of
strong, broadly based and well-organized
political parties. If democratic party
organizations fail to fulfill their
special role in society, the citizenry
will quickly lose faith in the governing
process itself.
NDI conducts programs to assist political
parties across the democratic ideological
spectrum. NDI draws party practitioners
from around the world to forums where
members of fledgling parties can learn
first-hand the techniques of organization,
communication and constituent contact.
Often NDI organizes multipartisan
training seminars and then conducts
workshops with individual parties.
Political party organization programs
have been conducted in Angola, Armenia,
Azerbaijan, Benin, Bolivia, Bulgaria,
Burundi, Cambodia, Central and Eastern
Europe (regional program), Chile,
Cìte D'Ivoire, Czech Republic, Ethiopia,
Georgia, Haiti, Hungary, Kenya, Korea,
Latvia, Malawi, Nicaragua, Northern
Ireland, Panama, Poland, Romania,
Russia, South Africa, Taiwan, Ukraine,
Uruguay, (former) Yugoslavia and Zambia.
2. Civic Organization
NDI
recognizes that civic organizations
are an integral component of democratic
development. Democratic political institutions
will not endure unless they are buttressed
by a strong civic culture and supported
by a populace that is committed to such
ideals as the rule of law, individual
liberty, freedom of religion, free and
open debate, majority rule, and the
protection of minorities. Intermediary
groups promote democratic values, and
civic and political participation. In
many countries undergoing democratic
transitions, large sections of the population
are unfamiliar with their rights and
responsibilities as members of a democratic
community.
In many countries where NDI is engaged
in political development work, the
image of political parties is a negative
one. After years of one party-rule,
with party membership practically
obligatory, many citizens of countries
undergoing a transition to multiparty,
democratic rule, often reject the
idea of involvement in party politics.
Civic organizations offer an alternative
and less threatening avenue for citizens
to engage in the political process.
As the image of political parties
improves, citizens who have been encouraged
by NDI to become active in nonpartisan
civic organizations will start to
consider direct participation in politics.
Many civic leaders in newly emerging
democracies will become the political
leaders of the future.
NDI programs focus on those nonpartisan
groups that are engaged in the political
process. Examples of their activities
are programs on transparency and accountability
in government, and "town hall" meetings
that promote communication between
citizens and their elected representatives.
NDI also supports and advises nonpartisan
groups and political parties engaged
in civic and voter education programs.
These education campaigns relate to
basic democratic principles, ranging
from the secrecy of the ballot to
the role of citizens in government.
NDI programs also focus on efforts
to enhance the organizational capabilities
of civic organizations.
Civic organization programs have been
conducted in Albania, Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Bangladesh, Benin, Bulgaria, Burundi,
Cambodia, Central African Republic,
Czech Republic, Estonia, Ethiopia,
The Gambia, Georgia, Guatemala, Guyana,
Haiti, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan,
Latvia, Liberia, Lithuania, the Former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Malawi,
Mexico, Mozambique, Namibia, Nepal,
Nicaragua, Niger, Paraguay, Peru,
Romania, Russia, Slovakia, South Africa,
Thailand, Ukraine, Uruguay, Venezuela
and the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
3.Women's Political Participation
NDI
is committed to promoting the participation
of women in politics and government.
Support for increased participation
of women in political leadership roles
is consistent with NDI's mandate to
strengthen the inclusive and representative
character of democratic institutions
worldwide. In some countries, NDI organizes
programs devoted primarily to encouraging
and enabling women to assume responsibility
for their own increased participation
in democratic politics. Such programs
provide emerging women leaders with
political leadership skills. In other
countries, one or more components of
a comprehensive democratic development
program are devoted to encouraging women
to participate more actively in the
political arena. In all of its democratic
development programs, NDI seeks to encourage
the equitable participation of women.
Women's political participation programs
have been conducted in Argentina,
Bangladesh, Chile, Central and Eastern
Europe (regional program), Jordan,
Kenya, Malawi, Nepal, and the West
Bank and Gaza Strip.
B. Election Processes
Elections
must be open and democratic if people
are to have confidence in the political
system. An election is not just a technical
exercise, but rather a dynamic process
in which political parties, civic organizations
and other institutions can learn the
skills necessary to participate actively
in the political life of a country.
NDI programs utilize elections as a
vehicle to help develop these nascent
institutions that are the foundation
of a civil society. In recent years,
elections have been used to initiate
democratic transitions in Latin America,
Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and the
former Soviet Union.
1. Advice on electoral systems
Transition
elections often bring with them a struggle
over rules -- election laws and procedures
may be a major point of controversy.
In attempting to resolve disputes, usually
between the governing regime and opposition
parties, electoral authorities or political
parties may seek models or examples
from other countries. In such an environment,
outside experts can help to frame the
debate and promote understanding of
international standards for free and
fair elections.
Drawing upon its experience and its
network of election experts, NDI has
provided an independent perspective
on the proposed election system and
the electoral infrastructure in a
number of countries holding genuinely
competitive elections for the first
time. At the request of parties and
governments, NDI experts have studied
and recommended improvements to electoral
codes and procedures in order to increase
confidence in the fairness of the
process. In several countries, the
presence of an NDI team of outside
experts has helped to bridge a gap
between the government and the opposition
over the election system, thereby
helping to defuse political tensions;
NDI's recommendations for improvements
in the election system have formed
the basis for compromise over the
conduct of elections.
2. Domestic election monitoring
NDI
has provided technical assistance for
political parties and nonpartisan civic
associations to conduct voter and civic
education campaigns and to organize
election monitoring programs, such as
pollwatching and independent vote counting
systems. Support for these indigenous
institutions is a major priority for
NDI. The organizations not only have
helped ensure a free and fair electoral
process, but have played key post-election
roles in the consolidation of democratic
initiatives.
3. International election monitoring
The
Institute has also organized more than
30 large-scale international observer
delegations that have attested to the
honesty of electoral procedures, helped
deter electoral misconduct or exposed
fraud where it has occurred. These observer
missions have been widely credited with
enhancing confidence and participation
in elections, and promoting understanding
of international standards for free
and fair elections.
Programs on election processes have
been conducted in Albania, Angola,
Argentina, Armenia, Bangladesh, Benin,
Botswana, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cameroon,
Central African Republic, Chile, Congo,
Cìte D'Ivoire, Croatia, Czech Republic,
Dominican Republic, Egypt, El Salvador,
Estonia, Ethiopia, The Gambia, Georgia,
Ghana, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Hungary,
Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan,
Lebanon, Liberia, the Former Yugoslav
Republic of Macedonia, Malawi, Mali,
Mexico, Namibia, Nicaragua, Niger,
Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru,
Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia,
Senegal, Slovenia, South Africa, South
Korea, Taiwan, Togo, Ukraine, Uzbekistan,
West Bank and Gaza, Yemen and Zambia.
C. Governance
NDI
places major emphasis in the field of
governance. It is not enough to promote
democratic values -- democracy must
provide mechanisms and institutions
that allow for adequate debate and consideration
of public policy issues. NDI works to
promote representative, responsive and
transparent governing institutions as
a vital component of a democratic society.
1. Legislative Programs
Effective
democratic governance depends on a professional,
accountable, transparent and responsive
legislature. The national legislature
is the forum where the citizens' representatives
-- often affiliated with a wide range
of parties -- debate public policy issues
and translate policies into laws. There
are a number of U.S. government-funded
programs designed to enhance the technical
capability and infrastructure of legislatures.
NDI programs, however, are unique because
they focus on political organization
-- the foundation of functioning legislatures.
NDI responds to requests for assistance
from legislators, political parties
and civic organizations that are working
to strengthen the effectiveness and
democratic character of their country's
legislature. This assistance focuses
on legislative procedures, staffing,
constituent services, legislative
oversight, executive-legislative relations,
and the function and role of party
caucuses. NDI's legislative programs
also seek to promote access to the
legislative process by citizens groups
and the public at large. Programs
encourage legislators to engage in
a dialogue with their constituents
and, at the same time, assist civic
groups to communicate with elected
representatives.
Legislative programs have been conducted
in Albania, Argentina, Bangladesh,
Brazil, Bulgaria, Burundi, Cambodia,
Central African Republic, Georgia,
Guyana, Hungary, Kazahkstan, Latvia,
Madagascar, Malawi, Namibia, Nepal,
Niger (regional program with legislators
from Benin, Mali, and Burkina Faso),
Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovenia,
South Africa, and Ukraine .
2. Local Governance
It
is often at the local level of government
that people look for solutions to their
most pressing problems. If a populace
is to understand and believe in democracy,
it must experience democratic governance
at work at the local level. In many
countries, democratic advances have
prompted a dispersal of authority from
centralized regimes to newly-elected
regional and municipal governments.
Local officials have turned to NDI for
information and advice on a range of
topics related to the processes of local
governance, including the division of
responsibility between mayors and municipal
councils, and between local and national
authorities.
In addition, NDI's programs promote
mechanisms and processes that enhance
communication between local officials
and their constituents. These efforts
are designed to support local autonomy
and the ability of municipalities
to govern their own affairs, thereby
building the public trust essential
to a representative, effective and
stable democratic system.
Local governance programs have been
conducted in Angola, Bulgaria, Chile,
Czech Republic, El Salvador, Estonia,
Guyana, Lithuania, Paraguay, Russia,
South Africa and Ukraine.
3. Civil-Military Relations
Mutual
respect between the armed forces and
civilian authority is a precondition
for democratic rule and civil order.
A military committed to a professional
rather than a political role is critical
to the success of democracy. At the
same time, civilian authorities must
acquire the expertise in military affairs
necessary for effective oversight of
the armed forces. NDI brings together
military and political leaders to promote
dialogue and establish mechanisms for
improving civil-military relations.
Experts from democracies that have successfully
integrated the military into civil society
have been active participants in these
programs.
Civil-military relations programs
have been held in Angola, Argentina,
Nicaragua, and Panama.
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