1st Edition
Pathways to Democracy The Political Economy of Democratic Transitions
A global examination that includes nations in Latin America, Asia, Russia, Eastern Europe, and Africa, Pathways to Democracy investigates the implications of the various paths that nations take to democracy and the political and economic programs needed to stabilize new democracies. From military to authoritarian to communist oligarchies, the essays reveal that democratic transitions were instigated by divisions within the ruling elite, challenges came from groups and interests outside the elite, and poor economic performance followed in its wake. An extensive look at what the United States can do through its foreign policy to promote and invest in democratization is included. An introduction to democratization that is comprehensive and global in scope. Includes comprehensive focus on U.S. foreign policy
Biography
James Hollifield is Arnold Professor of International Political Economy and Director of international Studies at Southern Methodist University. Calvin Jillson is Chair of the Political Science department at Southern Methodist University, where he is also Director of the John Tower Center for Political Science.
"Pathway to Democracy is a lively reader on different routes to democracy in the contemporary world, and a must-read for students looking to grasp the ambiguities, stresses, and uncertainties that accompany the process of building democratic societies and institutions." -- Ralph Thaxton, Professor of Politics, Brandeis University
"By dealing broadly with democratic transitions and consolidation in the contemporary world, these essays provide the reader with a good discussion of the way democratization is affected by culture, economic development, and international politics." -- Robert Kaufman, Professor, Department of Political Science, Rutgers University
"This is not only the latest and one of the most ambitious of the many collaborative volumes on "transitions to democracy," it is also the best. The editors and contributors set clear and high standards for the institutionalization of democratic regimes at century's turn. Most of the contributors succeed admirably in showing the intricate connections between domestic and international market factors, on the one hand, and qualities of liberty and political efficacy we associate with liberal democracy on the other. The book displays a refreshing intellectual honesty in its balance across successful, halting and unlikely transitions from authoritarian to democratic regimes." -- Martin O. Heisler, Professor, Department of Government and Politics, University of Maryland