Celebrating 30 Years of the National Endowment for Democracy

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“We’re approaching the end of a bloody century plagued by a terrible political invention — totalitarianism. Optimism comes less easily today, not because democracy is less vigorous, but because democracy’s enemies have refined their instruments of repression. Yet optimism is in order, because day by day democracy is proving itself to be a not-at-all-fragile flower. (…) No, democracy is not a fragile flower. Still it needs cultivating. If the rest of this century is to witness the gradual growth of freedom and democratic ideals, we must take actions to assist the campaign for democracy.”

Although these words were spoken more than three decades ago by President Ronald Reagan at the address to the British Parliament delivered on June 8, 1982, they still ring true today. While the threat of communism has since waned, new challenges to democratic freedoms abound. In the Westminster speech, Reagan pledged to boost support for democracy, and a year later the U.S. Congress created the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) – a private, nonprofit foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world through its four core institutes including the Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE). The role of the NED in today’s struggles for greater freedom for all remains no less crucial.

Yesterday, the NED celebrated its 30 anniversary at a ceremony appropriately hosted at the place where founding documents of America’s own democracy reside: the National Archives. In a strong statement of bipartisan support for the work of the NED and its institutes, both Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives John Boehner and Minority Leader of the House Nancy Pelosi spoke at the event. Their remarks were followed by a distinguished panel moderated by George Stephanopoulos.

Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) commented the NED’s origins – “Reagan had a great idea” – and emphasized the need to continue supporting reformers around the world, recognizing the new opportunities for access to information and activism through the use of technologies such as social media. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) noted that the NED created a multifaceted understanding of what democracy means beyond elections in terms of rule of law and engagement of all segments of the society in decision-making. Rep. David Price (D-NC) further stressed that democracy is about what happens between elections and about the need for democratic societies that deliver to their people. Rep. Ed Royce (R-CA) added that achieving this goal requires strengthening institutions and concepts of market economy to address the lack of economic opportunity. That is the key focus of CIPE’s mission.

CIPE works with local business associations, chambers of commerce, and economic think tanks that are at the forefront of helping to create more inclusive economies and more open and transparent democratic dialogue on economic policies that determine the strength of each country’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.

CIPE recognizes that there is no one-size-fit-all approach when it comes to political and economic reform, as reflected in the partnership-based model of its work around the world. That is also the guiding principle of the NED as a whole, reflected in President Reagan’s remarks at the White House ceremony celebrating the establishment of the NED on December 16, 1983:

“There’s no simple cookbook recipe for political development that is right for all people, and there’s no timetable. While democratic principles and basic institutions are universal, democratic development must take into account historic, cultural, and social conditions. Each nation, each movement will find its own route.”

Happy birthday to the NED – and to CIPE – now 30 years into their work and continuing to help reformers around the world find their own route to democratic development.

Anna Nadgrodkiewicz is Director of Multiregional Programs at CIPE.

Published Date: November 15, 2013