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18 J. Democracy 5 (2007)
The Perpetual Crises of Democracy

handle is hein.journals/jnlodmcy18 and id is 3 raw text is: THE PERPETUAL CRISES OF DEMOCRACY Guillermo O'Donnell Guillermo O'Donnell is Helen Kellogg Professor of Government and International Studies at the University of Notre Dame. On 12 July 2006, he received the first Lifetime Achievement Award of the International Political Science Association (IPSA) in recognition of his contribu- tions to the advancement of political science. The award, which was presented in Fukuoka, Japan, at the triennial World Congress of Po- litical Science, is accompanied by a $5,000 prize funded by the Mattei Dogan Foundation. The text that follows is based on the transcription of O'Donnell's acceptance speech. True to its international character, IPSA has convened us to discuss a theme of universal and most timely importance: Is democracy working? This choice of topic ought to be congratulated. It is a question, not a statement, and it makes us wonder if there is a crisis of democracy. If there is such a crisis, how is it manifesting itself in different countries and regions? Furthermore, we can and should ask about what sorts of capacities democracy can muster in order to meet and resolve crises, whatever manifestations they may assume. These are huge questions, and my brief reflections will of necessity be general. To begin, let me ask: Are we facing a crisis of democracy as such, or of some democracies? If it is not a crisis of democracy tout court, or if it does not manifest itself similarly across countries, how may we distin- guish different levels or kinds of crises? Furthermore, could it be that democracy itself is intrinsically characterized by a perpetual sense of crisis-or, more precisely, by perpetual tensions that are both worrisome and a testimony to its best qualities and, indeed, strongest capacities? In a world haunted by war, domestic and international violence, so- cial inequality, and environmental damage, deep concerns about what democracy is and can be are in order. But fortunately, deep concern is not despair. And without denying those justified concerns, I want to strike a note of cautious optimism. Journal of Democracy Volume 18, Number 1 January 2007 © 2007 National Endowment for Democracy and The Johns Hopkins University Press

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