United Nations and Democracy Promotion: Liberalism under the Guise of a Neutral Rhetoric

Yıl 2019, Cilt: 10 Sayı: 17, 1911 - 1929, 31.03.2019

Ertuğrul Cevheri

https://doi.org/10.26466/opus.499528

Öz

The United Nations
(UN) has been one of the prominent actors of global democracy promotion
efforts, particularly after the end of the Cold War. The UN refrains from
openly espousing a certain model of democracy, hence the adoption of a neutral rhetoric
by default. However, the UN’s neutrality towards different models of democracy
is merely a thinly veiled attempt to disguise the inherent liberal character of
its democracy promotion agenda. In its essence, democracy is an essentially
contested concept, nevertheless, following the end of the Cold War, one
specific interpretation of democracy, i.e. liberal democracy has reached a
hegemonic status, and UN’s democracy promotion agenda has not been spared from
this hegemony. Thus, this article’s main intent is to show that hegemonic
liberal democracy features heavily within UN’s democracy promotion, which goes
against its neutral rhetoric. The
UN’s liberal tendency is visible both in UNDP electoral support and in
peacebuilding operations which is based on the dual premise of conducting
elections along with making target countries’ economies more market-friendly.

Anahtar Kelimeler

United Nations, Demcoracy Promotion, Liberal Democracy, Essential Contestability of Democracy

Birleşmiş Milletler ve Demokrasi Teşviki: Tarafsız Retorik Altında Liberalizm

Öz

Özellikle Soğuk Savaş’ın
bitiminden itibaren Birleşmiş Milletler (BM) küresel demokrasi teşviki
çabalarının önemli bir aktörü haline gelmiştir. BM, herhangi bir demokrasi
modelini açıkça bir şekilde benimsemekten kaçındığından dolayı, BM’nin
demokrasi teşviki faaliyetlerinde kâğıt üzerinde tarafsız bir retoriğin ortaya
çıktığı söylenebilir. Ancak BM’nin farklı demokrasi modellerine yönelik
takınmış olduğu tarafsızlık BM demokrasi teşvikinin içsel liberal yapısını
gizlemeye yönelik basit bir çabadan öteye gitmemektedir. Niteliği itibariyle
demokrasi, özünde tartışmalı bir kavramdır fakat Soğuk Savaş’ın bitimini takip
eden süreçte demokrasinin özgü bir formu, yani liberal demokrasi, hegemonik bir
statü elde etmiştir ve BM’nin demokrasi teşviki gündemi de bu yükselişten muaf
değildir. Dolayısıyla bu makalenin temel amacı, tarafsız retoriğin aksine,
hegemonik liberal demokrasinin BM demokrasi teşvikinde önemli yer tuttuğunu
göstermektir. BM’nin liberalizme olan yatkınlığı hem UNDP’nin vermiş olduğu
seçim desteğinde hem de seçimlerin düzenlenmesine ek olarak hedef ülkelerin
ekonomilerinin pazar ekonomisi mekanikleri etrafında daha fazla şekillenmesi
gibi çifte temel dayanağa sahip olan barış inşası operasyonlarında kendini
gösterir.   

Anahtar Kelimeler

Birleşmiş Milletler, Demokrasi Teşviki, Liberal Demokrasi, Demokrasinin Özünde Tartışmalılığı

Kaynakça

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