The success of democracy is determined both by the extent to which the citizens
of a democratic country enjoy rights, freedoms, and a high quality of life and
the extent to which the foreign policy of a democratic country articulates its
democratic culture and principles abroad. The Western so-called mature
democracies have described democracy as their way of life and anyone who is
seen to threaten this way of life as their enemy. This particular stand has
been clearly brought to the fore by post-September 11 political developments
and the USA and UK invasion of Iraq in 2003. The question this paper raises
is who has the right to promote democracy? Can democracy success cases
such as Botswana be promoters of democracy as well? Does democracy
promotion bring any benefits to the promoter? I argue that indeed Botswana
has been successful in establishing her democracy at home against all odds. I
conclude, however, that Botswana has been a reluctant promoter of democracy
abroad. As a result the country‘s potential democratic leadership mantle has
been taken over by new democracies such as post-apartheid South Africa.