Constructing the Meaning of Democracy: Problems of Conceptualization.

Abstract:

The standardization of democracy based on precise scholarly definitions has paradoxically produced proliferation rather than uniformity, generating numerous subtypes and prototypes. This paper examines how conceptualization difficulties in political science may lead to problematic categorizations of regimes, using Rwanda as a case study. Despite being classified as authoritarian by the Economic Intelligence Unit, 2022 report (ranking 127th of 165 countries) and ranking 145th out of 202 countries on Varieties of Democracy, 2022 Indexes, Rwanda demonstrates outcomes in gender equality (61% female parliamentary representation), corruption reduction and economic growth (10% growth in 2019) typically associated with democratic governance. Through systematic analysis of secondary data from democratic measurement organizations, this study reveals critical limitations in current assessment frameworks, particularly regarding mechanisms that favor electoral and liberal dimensions over egalitarian and participatory ones. This paper does not claim Rwanda is democratic by conventional standards but demonstrates that the Rwandan case highlights fundamental challenges with conceptualization, operationalization and measurement of democracy which could potentially give opportunities to autocrats to justify the prohibition and limitation of certain democratic values.