Commentary
Thomas Carothers, McKenzie Carrier
{
"authors": [
"Thomas Carothers"
],
"type": "other",
"centerAffiliationAll": "",
"centers": [
"Carnegie Endowment for International Peace"
],
"collections": [],
"englishNewsletterAll": "",
"nonEnglishNewsletterAll": "",
"primaryCenter": "Carnegie Endowment for International Peace",
"programAffiliation": "",
"programs": [],
"projects": [],
"regions": [],
"topics": [
"Political Reform",
"Democracy",
"Trade",
"Foreign Policy"
]
}
REQUIRED IMAGE
Other
Forum on The End of the Transition Paradigm
Published on Jul 1, 2002
Source: Carnegie
A forum responding to Thomas Carothers' "The End of the Transition Paradigm," which was published in January 2002 in The Journal of Democracy. The forum includes contributions by Guillermo O'Donnell, Ghia Nodia, Kenneth Wollack, Gerald Hyman, and "A Reply to My Critics" by Thomas Carothers.
Guillermo O'Donnell argues that the scholarly literature on democratic transitions is more subtle than the practitioner approach to democracy promotion described by Carothers. Ghia Nodia defends the transition paradigm as a way of measuring how near or far a given country is from democracy, which is still the only desirable goal of government evolution. Kenneth Wollack of the National Democratic Institute and Gerald Hyman of USAID argue for the efficacy of democracy promotion programs based on prevailing ideas of democratic transition. Finally, Thomas Carothers addresses each of these authors' essays.
About the Author
Thomas Carothers
Harvey V. Fineberg Chair for Democracy Studies; Director, Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program
Thomas Carothers, director of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Democracy, Conflict, and Governance Program, is a leading expert on comparative democratization and international support for democracy.
- When Do Mass Protests Topple Autocrats?
- The Trump Administration’s Tangled Talk About Democracy AbroadArticle
Thomas Carothers, McKenzie Carrier
Recent Work
Carnegie does not take institutional positions on public policy issues; the views represented herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of Carnegie, its staff, or its trustees.
More Work from Carnegie China
- Malaysia’s Year as ASEAN Chair: Managing DisorderCommentary
Malaysia’s chairmanship sought to fend off short-term challenges while laying the groundwork for minimizing ASEAN’s longer-term exposure to external stresses.
Elina Noor
- When It Comes to Superpower Geopolitics, Malaysia Is Staunchly NonpartisanCommentary
For Malaysia, the conjunction that works is “and” not “or” when it comes to the United States and China.
Elina Noor
- Neither Comrade nor Ally: Decoding Vietnam’s First Army Drill with ChinaCommentary
In July 2025, Vietnam and China held their first joint army drill, a modest but symbolic move reflecting Hanoi’s strategic hedging amid U.S.–China rivalry.
Nguyễn Khắc Giang
- Today’s Rare Earths Conflict Echoes the 1973 Oil Crisis — But It’s Not the SameCommentary
Regulation, not embargo, allows Beijing to shape how other countries and firms adapt to its terms.
Alvin Camba
- China’s Mediation Offer in the Thailand-Cambodia Border Dispute Sheds Light on Beijing’s Security Role in Southeast AsiaCommentary
The Thai-Cambodian conflict highlights the limits to China's peacemaker ambition and the significance of this role on Southeast Asia’s balance of power.
Pongphisoot (Paul) Busbarat
