Calayan, Jose Angelo Gabriel October 11, 2013

Mangao, Michael Kevin Edgar Democratic Theory and Peace

Pajado, Lenette

Generally, democratic theory and peace was discussed in the context of American
democracy where democracy is at home in the present. As what we have learned from this
subject, practice without theory is blind. Democratic theory is sometimes a prescriptive theory
which tells you what to do to the point that it prescribes you to adopt the democratic system of
government. Furthermore, democracy was once hailed as the most perfect ideology at the end of
the Cold War where United States, which is a pioneer of democratic ideology, was triumphant
over the Union of Socialist Soviet Republic, which is a pioneer of communist ideology. Since
then, democracy was believed to be the most preferred type of ideology or system of government
to attain development in every state in the world.

Colored revolutions are believed to be a breakthrough of popular democracy (Hale,

2006). Rose Revolution in Georgia (2003), Orange Revolution in Ukraine (2004), and Tulip
Revolution in Kyrgyzstan (2005) were argued to be revolutions against patronal presidents and
thus, people (mostly from grassroots) revolt against their respective governments and to change
the present system of government (Hale, 2006, p. 306). In the Philippine context, EDSA
Revolution in the Philippines in 1986 was also considered one of the colored revolutions in Asia.
The revolution was obviously a democratic breakthrough from the authoritarian leadership of
Ferdinand Marcos from 1972 to 1986. But then, said revolution represented more continuity
rather than change. Until the present, democracy is not fully gained in the state even though
Philippines is adopting a democratic system of government. Voices of the marginalized people in
the grassroots are seldom heard and most of the time private interests of the politicians are
prioritized rather than public good.

Hale, H. (2006). Democracy or Autocracy on the March? The colored Revolutions as normal
dynamics of patronal presidentialism. George Washington University, Washington DC; USA