Why I believe in Citizen Centered Campaigns

The good news around the world is that over the last 40 years the number of democracies has grown to 119 according to a recent Freedom House Report.  The bad news is that many of these emerging democracies are still plagued by corruption, a lack of government accountability, and low levels of citizen input.  Established democracies face these same issues, advocacy groups in the United States have had to contend with ethics scandals and serious abuses of power over the last decade, and will continue to do so imperpetuity as that is the nature of the democratic process.  In my view the most essential element to a vibrant civil society is the involvement of citizens in the democratic process.  Read More.

Lauren Coletta is director of Common Cause International, a project of the Common Cause Education Fund and a consultant to civil society groups in developing democracies.