Comparetive Politics

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the poor, promoting the compromise and tolerance between different social groups （Przeworski, 2000: 118）. The last reason is that, economic development will help to improve the education level of the society and it has promoted the expansion of the middle class （Huntington, 1991: 13）. On account of a large quantity of social population is composed of businessmen, teachers, civil servants, and technical personal. In addition, the social structure that bourgeoisie occupy a large proportion is beneficial the emergence and consolidation of democracy. Therefore, if a country with a wide gap between the rich and the poor, there is no democracy. In the third wave of democratization, enormous bourgeoisie are the main force to promote democracy and oppose the authoritarian regime. In general, from a long-term point of view, economic development will create a foundation for the democratic system of government (ibid).

Although wealth and democracy have strong correlation, the economic development is not a unique factor result in the democratization. More recently, Lipset (1994) overturn his own idea, and he has also claimed that culture is one of the most important reasons that explains the success or failure of democracy (Lipset, 1994: 5). In Korea, the classical culture contained elements of egalitarianism and mobility along with Confucian components unbefitting to democracy, including a tradition of strongman rule and authoritarianism. One Korean scholar said it, “people did not think of themselves as citizens with right to exercise and responsibilities to perform, but they tended to look up to the top for direction and for favors in order to survive”. In the latter 1980s, education, urbanization, the development of a mass of middle class, and the spread of Christianity, both of these factors weakened Confucianism as a barrier to democracy in Korea (Huntington, 1991: 25). Same as the point of Lipset, according to <<In the third wave>>, Huntington pointed that the economy and culture are the two important factors that affect the democratization. In addition, in all cultural factors, he emphasized the influence of religious on the third wave of democratization. Huntington argues controversially that religion, especially Confucianism and Islam are obstacles to democratization (ibid: 22-28), For instance, Singapore was the only non-oil-exporting “high-income” country that did not have a democratic political system, and the leader of Singapore was an articulate exponent of Confucian values as opposed to those of western democracy. In addition, premier Lee Kwan Yew made the teaching and promulgation of Confucian values a high priority for his city-state （Huntington, 1991: 25）. In the 1980s, Premier Lee Kwan Yew endows a high priority for Confucian values .in addition, he limit and constrain dissent for preventing media criticism of the government and its policies. Huntington argues controversially that religion, especially Confucianism and Islam are obstacles to democratization (ibid: 22-28), that is why Singapore is a wealth country, but it is also non-democratic.

Although, Lipset and Huntington figured out both of the economic development and the religious are the factors to lead to the democratization. There are still exist some differences between the theories of Huntington and Lipset are that Huntington believes economic development is not unique decisive condition to promote the democratization, and he indicated that combined with the real extent of economic development and short-term economic crisis or failure is the most conducive methods to promote the authoritarian regimes transition to the democratic transition（Chiou, 1998: 135）. Philippines could be as an example to illustrate the impact of oil crisis for authoritarian regime between 1937 and 1974 (Chiou, 1998: 136). Under the authoritarian rule of Ferdinand Marcos, the economy of Philippines has obtained the rapid development, high economic growth is the source of legitimacy of Marcos’s authoritarian regime. Between 1937 and 1974, economic crisis attack various countries, where relying on imported oil in the world, including Philippines. 90% of the oil depend on imports in Philippines, therefore the energy costs of Philippine rapid increase, when the oil crisis came. However, the prices of export commodities continue to fall. Marcos use more borrowing and expenses to deal with the economic decline. As a result, foreign debt of Philippine has doubled between 1979-1983. In addition, almost all of the foreign debts are international short-term debt, therefore, when the credit is removed, the crisis of Philippine be intensified, and further weakened the authoritarian rule of Ferdinand Marcos (ibid). The above facts that economic development laid the economic foundation for democracy, and the combination of rapid economic development and oil crisis promote the authoritarian transition to democratic regime (ibid). In general, although this two person’s opinions are approximately same, the theory of Huntington is more suitable modern society.

To sum up, it can be seen that Lipset and Huntington all pointed that the economic development and culture are the important reasons lead to the democratization. Although, their opinion is similar, there are still exist different point, such as Huntington thinks both of economic development and economic crisis could promote the democracy. This essay has presented the theories of Lipset and Huntington, and compares their theory. At least, this paper also presented a case—Korea, to apply their theories. In general, economic development is not the only reason issue in the democratization, culture is also a part of reason to promote the democratization, especially