Democracy as concept and ideology in Mexico and Latin America

Abstract

This article examines democracy as a theoretical concept and as an ideological construction in Mexico and Latin America through a critical analysis that distinguishes between the democratic ideal and its empirical practice in the region. The study begins by addressing the problem of semantic, epistemological, and ideological confusion surrounding the term democracy, which is frequently instrumentalized by power narratives that legitimize authority structures without guaranteeing substantive freedoms or effective rule of law. The relevance of this research lies in revealing the tensions between political discourse and social reality, as well as in providing analytical tools to evaluate democratic quality beyond electoral processes. The objective is to contrast the theoretical ideal of democracy with empirical indicators of civil, economic, and expressive freedoms, as well as rule-of-law performance in twenty Latin American countries, with particular emphasis on the Mexican case. From a post-positivist and socio-critical theoretical perspective, a mixed methodology is employed, combining documentary review and comparative analysis of recent international indices. The findings show that not all countries that identify themselves as democratic meet minimum standards of freedom and institutional compliance, with only four consolidated democracies identified in the region. In the case of Mexico, structural deficiencies in justice, corruption control, economic inequality, and citizen participation classify it as a flawed democracy. The study concludes that democracy requires not only formal mechanisms of representation but also cultural, economic, and legal conditions that ensure human dignity, social inclusion, and governmental accountability in decision-making processes.