Knowledge Bank

How does a society move from dictatorship to democracy? Social theorists usually explain this using political modernization theory. PMT asserts that industrialization leads to urbanization, creating a class structure in which different interest groups vie for power. While these struggles can be violent –- what theorists call a society's "growing pains" -– eventually cross affiliations or mutual needs make violence counterproductive, leading to democratic decision-making, political parties and elections.