The Fate of Young Democracies

A must-read for all those who care about the fate of the world's youngest democratic states.

Ethan B. Kapstein (Author), Nathan Converse (Author)

9780521732628, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 29 September 2008

216 pages, 20 tables
22.8 x 15.2 x 1.6 cm, 0.41 kg

"...For academics, the study presents a wealth of opportunities for new research. For current or prospective policymakers, the book provides powerful food for thought on how best to administer foreign aid or direct the influence of an international organization. The Fate of Young Democracies lays the groundwork for a more nuanced understanding of the challenges facing democratization efforts around the globe."
--Harvard Law Review

The recent backlash against democracy in such countries as Bolivia, Venezuela, Russia, and Georgia poses renewed concerns about the viability of this regime type in the developing world. Drawing on a unique data set of every democratization episode since 1960, this book explores the underlying reasons for backsliding and reversal in the world's fledgling democracies and offers some proposals with respect to what the international community might do to help these states stay on track toward political stability. Rejecting earlier scholarship on this topic, Kapstein and Converse argue that the core of the problem is found in the weak institutions that have been built in much of the developing world, which encourage leaders to abuse their power. Understanding the underlying reasons for democratic failure is essential if we are to offer policy recommendations that have any hope of making a difference on the ground.

1. What makes young democracies different?
2. Why do young democracies fail?
3. Are some regions more 'democracy-friendly'?
4. Is democracy promotion effective?
5. Where do we go from here?.

Subject Areas: Comparative law [LAM], Political economy [KCP], Comparative politics [JPB], Political science & theory [JPA]