Democracy Builders

America’s democracy builders fall into two interconnected methods of practice: persuasion by example (attraction) and by engagement (intervention). John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were their prototypical practitioners. In the nineteenth century, diplomats were largely content to let civil society’s democracy cosmopolitans illuminate America’s “great experiment.” In the twentieth century, government democratizers became a community of practice. This chapter assesses their methods, strengths, and limitations. Some operate in government organizations with larger missions: the State and Defense Departments, USAID, and the Peace Corps. Others are practitioners in non-profit organizations that receive government funding such as Freedom House, Asia Foundation, and the National Endowment for Democracy. All partner with civil society organizations.