Ghanas pressfrihet och befolkningens attityder, en negativ trend? : teorikonsumerande fallstudie utav Ghanas demokrati

Today, Ghana is one of Africa’s most stable democracies. According to Larry Diamond an emerging democracy can be broken down to seven factors, each of which crucial in whether a legitimate democracy will be successful. By applying Diamonds theory on empirical information treating Ghana’s history and its inhabitant’s attitudes towards democracy (measured by surveys), this thesis aim was to examine two separate eras in Ghana’s democratic development to: 1. Understand the factors that completed Ghana’s transition into a democracy, 2. Distinguish a difference in attitude and/or in freedom of press when comparing the two periods and 3. Consider if there is a recent negative trend concerning the freedom of press and public attitudes that might affect Ghana’s democratic future. The two periods assessed were 2000-2005 and 2006-to date. Results found that factors important for a healthy democratic development all in all have been positive in Ghana during these periods with, at times, some reservation for a tendency towards corruption and censor. Some variation in terms of attitudes and/or freedom of press was found when comparing the periods, most significantly towards the end of the second period where a slight decline was noted. Conclusively no major threat to Ghana’s democratic future was predicted.