Marketing Democracy
The Political Economy of Democracy Aid in the Middle East

By focusing on the construction and practice of democracy aid, this book shows how democracy aid can reinforce, rather than challenge authoritarian regimes.

Erin A. Snider (Author)

9781108844260, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 31 March 2022

250 pages
23.5 x 15.8 x 2 cm, 0.49 kg

'… a strong addition to the literature on foreign aid and democracy promotion. … Recommended.' H. Shambayati, Choice

For nearly two decades, the United States devoted more than $2 billion towards democracy promotion in the Middle East with seemingly little impact. To understand the limited impact of this aid and the decision of authoritarian regimes to allow democracy programs whose ultimate aim is to challenge the power of such regimes, Marketing Democracy examines the construction and practice of democracy aid in Washington DC and in Egypt and Morocco, two of the highest recipients of US democracy aid in the region. Drawing on extensive fieldwork, novel new data on the professional histories of democracy promoters, archival research and recently declassified government documents, Erin A. Snider focuses on the voices and practices of those engaged in democracy work over the last three decades to offer a new framework for understanding the political economy of democracy aid. Her research shows how democracy aid can work to strengthen rather than challenge authoritarian regimes. Marketing Democracy fundamentally challenges scholars to rethink how we study democracy aid and how the ideas of democracy that underlie democracy programs come to reflect the views of donors and recipient regimes rather than indigenous demand.

Part I. Introduction and Argument: 1. Introduction
2. A political economy of democracy aid
Part II. Marketing Democracy: 3. Ideas and the institutional architecture of democracy Aid
4. Neoliberalism on the Nile: US democracy aid in Egypt
5. Reforming the kingdom: US democracy aid in Morocco
Part III. Securing Democracy: 6. The politics of democracy aid after the Arab uprisings.

Subject Areas: Political economy [KCP], Comparative politics [JPB]