REQUIREMENTS OF THE THEORY OF DEMOCRATIC CONSOLIDATION: A PERSPECTIVE FROM MEXICO AND LATIN AMERICA

The importance of the concept of democratic consolidation in Latin America is a pending issue in the developing countries of the region and the supposedly democratically consolidated countries. In the following paper, two concepts of democracy will be examined - a real concept and an ideal concept-. I am assessing the empirical elements that affect the strength of democracy in the process of consolidation and the legitimacy of the state and which provide solutions for problems to social affairs, politics and economy. The objective of this paper is to address the theory of democratic consolidation and its relevance to strengthen democratic countries. To understand the theory of democratic consolidation, revision of real democracy and the importance of the concept of quality of democracy is required. The paper proposes three indicators on the basis of which the concept of real democracy needs to be revised. Those indicators are regarded to be essential to legitimize government today: accountability, responsiveness and rule of law.