Unlike most other forms of government, democracy is hard, particularly initially. Everyone wants change and quickly, but this isn't the way democracy works, which is why many fail in their attempts.
Democracy only works when several things are in place and these are usually in scarce supply in poor, turmoil ridden and under developed countries. Couple this with the several versions of democracy, such as; presidential, parliamentary, representative, monarchy, direct, etc. and things get difficult right from the start. The USA had 14 presidents before Washington and two different (democratic) governments before Washington took on the 17th administration as the first constitutional president. We were a country for 21 years before a construction was ratified and another 4 more years before the Bill of Rights was accepted. That's a long time to wait when you've just tossed out the government you've been disenchanted with. It was another 50 years and about a dozen wars, before the USA found it's footing. This is typical. A people has to establish a democratic identity, separate from that previously understood, under what ever tyrannies or oligarchies they endured.
Just look at "old" Europe. Many where fascist or dictatorships until the 1970s, and many of the newer EU countries were tyrannies even into the 1990s. Some of them still barely qualify as functioning democracies - oligarchies is probably a closer match. Don't even get me started on the middle eastern nations ideas of government.
Democracy is hard and requires a lot from their people and their government. Corruption is the biggest problem most often. This and old rivalries, left over from the previous "guard".
I firmly believe it boils down to several things and a society that will stop at nothing to achieve them.
Education has to be at the top of the list, as it's the only way a society can advance and understand the problems of their nation.
Only a free press can be acceptable. The moment you censor or restrict, trust goes away and there goes the ball game.
A trustworthy and independent judiciary must be established, as a nation without rule of law is helpless and falls into tribal or drum head law.
Related, but a separate issue is rule and respect of law. We went through this process out west in the mid and late 1800's, but rule of law and respect of rule has to apply nation wide.
Elections have to be free, for obvious reasons.
Social stratification or social mobility are hugely important. Folks come here to "live the dream" and only a society where this is possible can succeed.
Lastly I think pluralism (a multi-party system) is necessary, other wise it's not going to work for long.
Place any of these things in a grab bag and the attempt dies. This is why democracy is hard to establish. A dictatorship or other form of centralized government, is much easier and bring results much faster, though not particularly just, righteous or fair.
Simply put, a nation as a whole as to want it, because it's hard, but also because it offers opportunity, fairness, respect and most importantly, makes the whole of the society better across many areas of common concern.
Damn, maybe I should have run for office . . .
indeed he wasn't in the mood for political debate so i let it slide 
