CULTURE AS A BASE OF DEMOCRACY: INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC EXPERIENCE

The article deals with the effect of culture on democracy. Cultural traditions, which had been developing for a long historical period, led to democracy in some societies. Modern American scientists divide the world in two types of societies: with the basic values of expression and values of surviving. Democracy wins in societies with the values of expression. So it is not enough to establish democratic laws by means of setting up a democracy. This is the reason why it doesn’t work in post-soviet countries. Ukraine has a wide experience of democracy in the past and the democratic values are the part of our national mentality. But this tradition was interrupted by 300 years of colonial dependence and 70 years of soviet totalitarianism. In such conditions the development of national culture will promote the democracy. On the other hand, we should understand the significance of personal culture of every member of society. Culture allows people to realize the importance of diversity, it makes a person more open and tolerant towards other groups in society and reinforces cohesion in society. Cultural participation, active or passive, has the great importance for democracy. It enables individuals to be more active and effective citizens. Governmental programs should promote cultural participation for people to make them more open, tolerant and respectful for other people’s values, to cultivate their strategy and critical thinking. In Ukraine, where the government is not always interested in the development of democracy, citizens should maintain cultural participation on their own by bringing up their children by means of different arts and involving them in different cultural events. The important part of cultural participation is cultural education. Unfortunately the policy of modern Ukraine tends to decrease cultural education and this situation has negative effect on building a democratic state.