Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation : Southern Europe, South America, and Post-Communist Europe

Since their classic volume The Breakdown of Democratic Regimes was published in 1978, Juan J. Linz and Alfred Stepan have increasingly focused on the questions of how, in the modern world, nondemocratic regimes can be eroded and democratic regimes crafted. In Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation, they break new ground in numerous areas. They reconceptualize the major types of modern nondemocratic regimes and point out for each type the available paths to democratic transition and the tasks of democratic consolidation. They argue that, although "nation-state" and "democracy" often have conflicting logics, multiple and complementary political identities are feasible under a common roof of state-guaranteed rights. They also illustrate how, without an effective state, there can be neither effective citizenship nor successful privatization. Further, they provide criteria and evidence for politicians and scholars alike to distinguish between democratic consolidation and pseudo-democratization, and they present conceptually driven survey data for the fourteen countries studied.Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation contains the first systematic comparative analysis of the process of democratic consolidation in southern Europe and the southern cone of South America, and it is the first book to ground post-Communist Europe within the literature of comparative politics and democratic theory. "This is an important volume by two major scholars on a central topic--one of broad interest to people in comparative politics, to those interested in democracy, and to regional specialists on Southern Latin America and on Central and Eastern Europe. The book willunquestionably be a major contribution to the literature on constructing democratic governance."--Abraham F. Lowenthal, University of Southern California Since Their Classic Volume The Breakdown Of Democratic Regimes Was Published In 1978, Juan J. Linz And Alfred Stepan Have Increasingly Focused On The Questions Of How, In The Modern World, Nondemocratic Regimes Can Be Eroded And Democratic Regimes Crafted. In Problems Of Democratic Transition And Consolidation, They Break New Ground In Numerous Areas. They Reconceptualize The Major Types Of Modern Nondemocratic Regimes And Point Out For Each Type The Available Paths To Democratic Transition And The Tasks Of Democratic Consolidation. They Argue That, Although Nation-state And Democracy Often Have Conflicting Logics, Multiple And Complementary Political Identities Are Feasible Under A Common Roof Of State-guaranteed Rights. Linz And Stepan Also Illustrate How, Without An Effective State, There Can Be Neither Effective Citizenship Nor Successful Privatization. Further, They Provide Criteria And Evidence For Politicians And Scholars Alike To Distinguish Between Democratic Consolidation And Pseudo-democratization, And They Present Conceptually Driven Survey Data For Each Of The Fourteen Countries Studied. Problems Of Democratic Transition And Consolidation Contains The First Systematic Comparative Analysis Of The Process Of Democratic Consolidation In Southern Europe And The Southern Cone Of South America, And It Is The First Book To Ground Post-communist Europe Within The Literature Of Comparative Politics And Democratic Theory. Democracy And Its Arenas -- Stateness, Nationalism, And Democratization -- Modern Nondemocratic Regimes -- The Implications Of Prior Regime Type For Transition Paths And Consolidation Tasks -- Actors And Contexts -- The Paradigmatic Case Of Reforma Pactada--ruptura Pactada : Spain -- From Interim Government To Simultaneous Transition And Consolidation : Portugal -- Crisis Of A Nonhierarchical Military Regime : Greece -- Southern Europe : Concluding Reflections -- A Risk-prone Consolidated Democracy : Uruguay -- Crises Of Efficacy, Legitimacy, And Democratic State Presence : Brazil -- From An Impossible To A Possible Democratic Game : Argentina -- Incomplete Transition/near Consolidation? : Chile -- South America : Concluding Reflections -- Post-communism's Prehistories -- Authoritarian Communism, Ethical Civil Society, And Ambivalent Political Society : Poland -- Varieties Of Post-totalitarian Regimes : Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria -- The Effects Of Totalitarianism-cum-sultanism On Democratic Transition : Romania -- The Problems Of Stateness And Transitions : The Ussr And Russia -- When Democracy And The Nation-state Are Conflicting Logics : Estonia And Latvia -- Post-communist Europe : Concluding Comparative Reflections. Juan J. Linz And Alfred Stepan. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation 2 Contents 6 Figures, Tables, and Exhibits 8 Preface and Acknowledgments 14 Part I Theoretical Overview 22 l. Democracy and Its Arena 24 2. “Stateness,” Nationalism, and Democratization 37 3. Modern Nondemocratic Regimes 59 4. The Implications of Prior Regime Type for Transition Paths and Consolidation Tasks 76 5. Actors and Contexts 87 Part II Southern Europe: Completed Consolidations 106 6. The Paradigmatic Case of Reforma Pactada-Ruptura Pactada: Spain 108 7. From Interim Government to Simultaneous Transition and Consolidation: Portugal 137 8. Crisis of a Nonhierarchical Military Regime: Greece 151 9. Southern Europe: Concluding Reflections 160 Part III South America: Constrained Transitions 170 10. A Risk-Prone Consolidated Democracy: Uruguay 172 11. Crises of Efficacy, Legitimacy, and Democratic State “Presence”: Brazil 187 12. From an Impossible to a Possible Democratic Game: Argentina 211 13. Incomplete Transition/Near Consolidation? Chile 226 14. South America: Concluding Reflections 240 Part IV Post-Communist Europe: The Most Complex Paths and Tasks 252 15. Post-Communism’s Prehistories 256 16. Authoritarian Communism, Ethical Civil Society, and Ambivalent Political Society: Poland 276 17. Varieties of Post-Totalitarian Regimes: Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Bulgaria 314 18. The Effects of Totalitarianismcum-Sultanism on Democratic Transition: Romania 365 19. The Problems of “Stateness” and Transitions: The USSR and Russia 387 20. When Democracy and the Nation-State Are Conflicting Logics: Estonia and Latvia 422 21. Post-Communist Europe: Concluding Comparative Reflections 455 Index 480 Problems,of,Democratic,Transition,and,Consolidation

Since their classic volume The Breakdown of Democratic Regimes was published in 1978, Juan J. Linz and Alfred Stepan have increasingly focused on the questions of how, in the modern world, nondemocratic regimes can be eroded and democratic regimes crafted. In Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation, they break new ground in numerous areas. They reconceptualize the major types of modern nondemocratic regimes and point out for each type the available paths to democratic transition and the tasks of democratic consolidation. They argue that, although "nation-state" and "democracy" often have conflicting logics, multiple and complementary political identities are feasible under a common roof of state-guaranteed rights. They also illustrate how, without an effective state, there can be neither effective citizenship nor successful privatization. Further, they provide criteria and evidence for politicians and scholars alike to distinguish between democratic consolidation and pseudo-democratization, and they present conceptually driven survey data for the fourteen countries studied.

Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation contains the first systematic comparative analysis of the process of democratic consolidation in southern Europe and the southern cone of South America, and it is the first book to ground post-Communist Europe within the literature of comparative politics and democratic theory.

Since their classic volume The Breakdown of Democratic Regimes was published in 1978, Juan J. Linz and Alfred Stepan have increasingly focused on the questions of how, in the modern world, nondemocratic regimes can be eroded and democratic regimes crafted. In Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation, they break new ground in numerous areas. They reconceptualize the major types of modern nondemocratic regimes and point out for each type the available paths to democratic transition and the tasks of democratic consolidation. They argue that, although "nation-state" and "democracy" often have conflicting logics, multiple and complementary political identities are feasible under a common roof of state-guaranteed rights. They also illustrate how, without an effective state, there can be neither effective citizenship nor successful privatization. Further, they provide criteria and evidence for politicians and scholars alike to distinguish between democratic consolidation and pseudo-democratization, and they present conceptually driven survey data for the fourteen countries studied. Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation contains the first systematic comparative analysis of the process of democratic consolidation in southern Europe and the southern cone of South America, and it is the first book to ground post-Communist Europe within the literature of comparative politics and democratic theory.