Democracy as a Starting Point

Issue Date January 2001
Volume 12
Issue 1
Page Numbers 5-14
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Democracy by itself does not put an end to injustice or inequality, but it establishes the most favorable conditions for making progress in the struggle to achieve a just society.

About the Author

Fernando Henrique Cardoso was elected to two terms as president of Brazil, serving from 1994 to 2003. He chairs the Club of Madrid, cochairs the Inter-American Dialogue, and is professor at large in the Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University.

View all work by Fernando Henrique Cardoso

Further Reading

Volume 22, Issue 4

Do New Democracies Support Democracy? The Multilateral Dimension

When it comes to backing democracy and human rights in international forums, the behavior of the world’s six most influential rising democracies ranges from sympathetic support to borderline hostility.

Volume 22, Issue 1

Latin America: A Surge to the Center

The left-right ideological divide has begun to narrow in Latin America as citizens and leaders increasingly choose a pragmatic approach to politics and embrace the rules of the democratic game.

Volume 28, Issue 1

Violence Against Women in Politics

The use of force and intimidation against women trying to take part in politics is a growing problem in many places. Such violence assumes a number of different forms, but…