> "The chance of making progress toward real democracy is often not seen as worth the risk for external parties (especially external elites); locals, of course,

> "The chance of making progress toward real democracy is often not seen as worth the risk for external parties (especially external elites); locals, of course, may have different calculus. " That's a very true observation but that doesn't mean that elites will always get their way and prevail over the masses. The masses can sometimes secure victories at their expense, albeit short-lived in most cases, and force them to change their mind and adopt their ideas.