Theory of Democratization

Democratization is a new concept with old origin, because it inevitably relates to the ancient notion of democracy. This article argues that democracies despite their similarity are native and particular experiences, thereby democratization should be studied from this standpoint. Every democratic experience should be logically understood in its own specifities. After that, we can present comprehensive and theoretical thoughts about them. The contents of democratic experiences (democratization) in the world in general and in Iran in particular, are independent of general definitions of democracy and the first could not be known through the latter. Because, democracy in its essence tends to expand individual potentialities in the framework of its own historical society and this involves particular and individual contents rather than universal and human ones.