Promoting the Rule of Law Abroad: Are We There Yet?

During the last ten years an almost universal consensus has taken hold in Western policy circles that promoting the rule of law around the world is vital to a host of crucial enterprises, including democracy promotion, economic development, and anti-terrorism. And almost every bilateral and multilateral aid organization is now carrying out rule-of-law aid programs.

Yet fundamental questions about this burgeoning field remain open. Are different rule-of-law programs based on a common conception of the goal? Should they be? Has there emerged a set of clear best practices on which aid providers can rely? Can rule of law promotion really make a difference in the many troubled societies where it is carried out? In short, is this new field on the way to becoming a coherent endeavor capable of fulfilling the many hopes and expectations invested in it?

Drawing from his new book, Promoting the Rule of Law Abroad: In Search of Knowledge, Carnegie's Thomas Carothers participates in a discussion of these issues with moderator James Michel, senior counsel, DPK Consulting; Lisa Bhansali, senior public sector specialist, World Bank; Rachel Kleinfeld, director, Truman National Security Project; and Neil Kritz, director, Rule of Law Program, U.S. Institute of Peace