Abstract

MATSUNO, Akihisa. Democracy-Building, Political Dialogue and Social Capital in Timor-Leste’s Transition to Independence. Revista Crítica de Ciências Sociais [online]. 2014, n.104, pp.83-100. ISSN 2182-7435.  https://doi.org/10.4000/rccs.5709.

The paper argues that the 2006 crisis in Timor-Leste partly derives from a weak democracy-building process during the UN Transitional Administration. Although the mandate of democracy-building was ambiguous, the UN embarked on building liberal institutions based on a general consensus that democracy must be firmly established in post-conflict Timor-Leste. However, by concentrating its resources on the building of State institutions in the capital, the Transitional Administration exacerbated the capital-district divide, created an isolated strong state, and left people less empowered at the community level. The hasty transitional schedule also deprived political elites of the opportunity for political dialogue to deal with their most important internal agenda of reconciliation, and failed to create the long-term infrastructure needed to support civic activism and increase social capital.

Keywords : democratisation of the State; peacebuilding; post-war; social capital; Timor-Leste.

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