Demokrati är att vilja? : En fallstudie av demokratin i Syrien

Sammanfattning: The purpose of this study is to investigate why democracy has failed in Syria and which democratic theories that is appropriate to stop the starvation and misery in Syria. The country has been ruled by the Baath Party and the al-Assad family during four decades. The opposition could not create a common platform and they had lack of mutual trust, and no popular support. The weakness divided opposition because there are many ideologies, various ethnic and religious groups. The main theme of this study is democracy. I examine democracy from two theorists, Dahl and Putnam. I have investigated which of Dahl's democratic criteria can fulfill Syria and Putnam’s concept of social capital can explain and support Dahl's democratic criteria. Democracy is not just to remove a tyranny and by that I have investigated if there are weaknesses in the theory or difficult for people to apply the theory in reality if democracy fails. My thesis is a case study thus I see Syria as a unique case. The results have revealed that Dahl's theory for democracy is difficult to implement in Syria. There are no conditions for Dahl's theory.  Putnam's social capital revealed that there is a threat to democracy in Syria. The norms and social networks in Putnam theory can support tribal and minority. But in Syria there are the numbers of minorities and with this theory can hate and conflict increase between groups .That can create nationalism values. The results also have revealed that people do not have the will to democracy.