In the contemporary world order democracy clearly seems to be under visible stress around the globe. The ongoing increasing vulnerability of the democratic and political institutions over the years due to the democratic decay in the established political systems and the military takeovers in some regions of the African continent. The fundamental pillars of democracy namely institutional independence, political accountability and public trust are generally being contested even in the nation-states where elections are conducted regularly. Though the sustainability of the democratic history in countries like Ghana and Mongolia in the ongoing uncertain global political environment offers a significant counterweight. Both the countries have successfully carried out a healthy democratic regime despite emerging from an authoritarian leadership in the early 1990s and being exposed to political and structural constraints. The insights which are easily drawn from the political trajectories from both the countries ‘ experience is that the survival and preservation of the democratic structure do not depend on the favourable conditions rather on the commitment shown by the institutions and the people.

The Power of Peaceful Political Transition 

Respectively, Ghana’s and Mongolia’s transition were neither forced nor inevitable. The developments can be rightly seen as the transition that took place due to the repeated domestic pressures and the popular demand of political inclusion. In the case of Mongolia, the then existing communist government was forced to step down in 1989-90 as a result of the series of peaceful protests by the civil society groups, students and intellectuals which ultimately paved the way for constitutional change and multiparty elections. The base of political pluralism was laid down by the official end of single party rule which ended in 1922 and the ratification of democratic constitution. Similarly, was the case with Ghana it also went through quite a similar trajectory.

Following the years of military regime the increasing demands of reform and internal political mobilisation against the government culminated in the restoration of constitutional rule in Ghana in 1992. The political shift in Ghana showcased the pressures made by both the common citizens and political leaders for wider political participation and economic inclusion. The return to constitutional rule in 1992 not only demonstrated or limited itself to a mere change in the political relations but signalled a wider shift in the state-society interaction. This internal ownership proved critical in ensuring the durability of democratic institutions as the inherited domestic legitimacy in both Mongolia and Ghana acted as a fundamental base for the necessary democratic reforms.

Necessity of Institutions to Sustain Democratic Competition 

The credibility of the political institutions is very much necessary for the survival of democracy in any particular nation-state, for example what happened in Ghana and Mongolia. These countries’ political culture are shaped by regular elections, opposition political parties and the required constitutional safeguards for the civil liberties , all established by the post-1992 political system in Mongolia. Over time the country witnessed peaceful transition marking the smooth transfer of power between the opposing forces which ultimately strengthened the public trust in the democratic processes and further aided in the consolidation of the institutions.

Similarly in Ghana’s case scenario is also of equal importance. Ghana’s 1992 constitution too facilitated a functional parliamentary system, a framework for competitive electoral participation and an independent election commission. Another remarkable point in the political history of Ghana was the peaceful transfer of power between the rival political parties in 2000 which reflected that in future too the mandate of the elections would be respected and the political authority would also be determined through democratic processes. These developments are very much essential especially for the countries which had a past of military interventions.

From these instances it can be comprehended that the development of the institutions underscore a crucial lesson which explains that the sustainability of democracy in any particular country is not alone derived by the elections but also depends on the legitimacy of the institutions that oversee political competition.

Both Mongolia and Ghana still cannot be complacent enough to boast their political achievents till date. As log as Mongolia is exposed to economic disparities, unequal access to justice and corruption, it continues to haunt and posse challenges to the democratic administration. The above listed structural limitations risk eventual erosion of public trust over time even of the democratic institutions remain intact.

However, Ghana has its own set of challenges. The electoral competition in the nation is still marked by the political mobilisation on the ethnic grounds which highlights deeper social differences which needs to be addressed by the democratic institutions. Though the democratic processes has been reinforced and strengthened by the civic education and electoral reforms but there is an ongoing need for the institutional vigilance as the political rivalries shaped by the identities still persists. These obstacles showcases that the democratic consolidation is a continuous process instead of a finished manufactured product

The case studies of both the Ghana and Mongolia servers as a classical example which underscores a timely reminder that democratic culture may persevere even in the unfavourable conditions. Their experiences respectively highlights that the resilient democratic regimes can be established by the means of peaceful transfer of powers, legitimate institutions and the active public participation. During the time when the democratic institutions worldwide are exposed to increasing assault, these two experiences illustrates a fundamental reality that the survival of democracy in not directly dependent on the ideal circumstantces rather on the commitment of people and the institutions to uphold its ideals. In Large and the diverse democracies such as India where democratic stability is shaped by the institutional resilience and punblic trust, these comparative instances highlights the essence of consistently strengthening democratic norms and constitutional safeguards. Hence, the respective experiences of Mongolia and Ghana reaffirms that the geographical factors or wealth cannot pre-determine the democratic resilience. Instead it is constructed, sustained and protected over a period of time.

Akshan Ranjan is a PhD research scholar at the Centre for African Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067.

Shristi Yadav is a PhD research scholar at the Centre for Inner Asian Studies, School of International Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi-110067.

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