The process by which a dictatorship changes to a democracy is called democratization. The main reason that a dictatorship would transition to a democracy is by the demand of the people. Reformers will band together behind an opposition leader and demand rights and democracy. The process by which the transition happens is often prolonged, violent, and complicated. The military and other governmental institutions must give up power in order for a democratically elected government to take hold.

The transition to democracy is a comprehensive process that affects all segments of society and can take very different times, especially if the transition is made from autocratic and dictatorial regimes, such as the former socialist regimes.

First, it is necessary to ensure fair and free elections, so that citizens have the opportunity to choose their government and the policy it will pursue.

The new government should work to reduce the bureaucracy that was huge, expensive and inefficient under socialist regimes.

Further, there is a withdrawal of the state from certain processes, such as the regulation of the economy. Democracy implies the existence of a free market, and the free market implies minimal state interference.

In addition, there is an increase in private ownership, many state-owned enterprises that operated as heavy losers are moving to private ownership.

The transition of undemocratic regimes to democracy is a comprehensive and long process.

Proclaiming the way out of autocracy and the desire to democratize society is only the initial step of this process.

Building democracy and its consolidation implies building democratic institutions and introducing democratic governance into the existing ones.

Also, it is very important to organize fair and free elections so that citizens can decide for themselves who they want to trust to lead them through the transition process.

Another key thing is to acquaint citizens with their rights and duties within a democracy.

Many countries that have changed autocratic regimes and embarked on the path to democracy have faced various difficulties that transition brings. Some have managed to democratize and join international organizations of democracies, such as the European Union, while others are still struggling with the consequences of the transition.

The greatest danger of non-implementation of democratization and democratic consolidation is the replacement of one autocratic regime by another.

The Soviet Union was a country with a communist system. In the 80th, communism was gradually abandoned and transitions took place.

The most important politician leading this process was **Mikhail Gorbachev**. He introduced reformist programs that helped the country’s gradual transition – ***glasnost* and *perestroika***.

These programs included the democratization of institutions and the restructuring of the economy, and we can assume that Mikhail Gorbachev was a reformer.

The transition from authoritarian to democratic regimes is a process that can take decades and faces many obstacles.

First, the end of autocratic regimes often occurred after military conflicts and civil wars. In a situation where the people of one country were so deeply divided that they were at war with each other, it is very difficult to build democratic relations and cooperation. Democracy implies majority government with respect for the minority, while in autocratic regimes the minority is oppressed.

Furthermore, one of the difficulties of the transition process is the lack of a democratic culture. A society that had been under repressive rule for years and decades, faced only the obligations imposed by the state, and had very few rights. The citizens of these countries simply do not have enough knowledge about their democratic capacities, which further prevents them from participating in various processes and contributing to democratization.

Democracy means the rule of the people, so that those countries that failed to build a democratic culture, failed to complete the process of democratization.

Also, some countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa had territorial problems – they were unfinished countries with large territories that were formally part of them, but over which they had no actual power. These territories were often occupied by some domestic forces or foreign imperialist forces.

If a state does not have complete control over its territories and the citizens who live in them, it will not be able to establish and consolidate democracy.