Democratization and the 2008 Election: A Shift in Party Positions

Strategic Insights -

The recent intervention of Republican senators in the Terri Schiavo case has highlighted a significant issue in American politics: the disconnect between the traditional stance of the Republican Party on democratization and the actions of its leaders in Congress. While the party has long been associated with a conservative and nationalist foreign policy, the practical effect of its arguments has been to promote traditionally liberal positions on issues such as health care, education, and immigration reform. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in the area of foreign policy, where the president's decision to invade Iraq has been followed by a series of democratization efforts in the Middle East.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Republican base consists primarily of Southern and Plains-states isolationists, Western libertarians, and business groups, who are generally indifferent to democratization.
  • In contrast, the Democratic base consists of a coalition of minorities, liberal activists, and do-gooders, who are more likely to support a "generalized program of global good works."
  • Despite partisan differences, there is evidence that members of both parties occasionally act from principle, with Senator Ted Kennedy recently conceding that President Bush's foreign policy has resulted in "enormously constructive" changes in the Middle East.
  • Promoting liberal democracy is a project that Democrats have historically embraced, while Republicans have typically supported democratization as a means of advancing American interests.
  • By embracing a robust democratization agenda, the Democratic nominee in 2008 may be able to appeal to their base while also claiming the new, pro-democratization center.

Statistics:

  • According to a Gallup poll in 2001, more Democrats than Republicans were likely to say that building democracies, protecting weak nations from invasion, and defending human rights are "very important foreign policy goals" (71% vs. 57%).
  • Upwards of 60% of Americans consistently support American participation in United Nations peacekeeping forces.
  • The administration requested $20 billion in reconstruction grants for Iraq and Afghanistan in the fall of 2003, but many Republican members of Congress complained that the figure was too generous.

Sources:

  • Gallup poll, 2001: "Gallup Finds Democrats More Supportive of Human Rights and Democracy"
  • The National Review, 2003: Ramesh Ponnuru, "The Iraq War and the Conservative Tradition"