The Struggle for Democracy in Latin America

WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES DEMOCRACY MAKE?

Free and fair electionsCivil liberties Non-violent change of governments International relations (Do democracies

go to war with each other?)

Dimensions of Democracy Electoral – open,

competitive elections on a more or less level playing field

Civic – ensemble of rights, entitlements and policies that encourage citizens to speak, assemble and organize freely

Social – availability of jobs, housing, education, health services that relate to policies that reduce inequalities in distribution of income

Mexico Campaign Rally: Felipe Calderon - 2006

Global Waves of Democracy: First Wave

Began with the American revolution

Advanced slowly throughout the nineteenth century

Peaked in aftermath of World War I

First Reverse Wave of Authoritarianism: 1923 - 1944 Great Depression stimulates Fascism

I talyGermany Japan

Victorious “Democratic” Powers

Global Waves of Democracy: Second Wave

Began in 1944; lasted into the middle 1960’s

More widespread than “First Wave” Swept over most of Latin America Second reverse wave of authoritariansim

(1963-83)New professionalism Bureaucratic authoritarian regimes

Global Wave of Democracy: The Third Wave (1985 –

present?) Defeat in war over

Malvinas: leads to the overthrow of Argentina’s military government (1982)

Brazilian military: withdraws from running the country (1985-89)

Central American Wars: wind down and authoritarian governments gives way to representative democratic regimes as Soviet Union implodes

Argentine Prisoners of War

Cases that Raise Questions about the future of Democracy

CubaFidel Castro argues

that communism is superior to representative democracy

More Cases that Raise Questions about the future of

Democracy

Haiti: continues in a political “Twilight Zone”

More Cases that Raise Questions about the future of

Democracy

Nicaragua: Electoral Caudillismo

More Cases that Raise Questions about the future of

Democracy Evo Morales: Bolivia

Explaining the Waves of Democracy

Single Cause ? Economic PoliticalMilitary

Marches for Morales – multiple causes

Explaining the Waves of Democracy

Parallel Development?

Snowballing?

Prevailing Nostrum

Explaining the Third Wave: Economic Considerations

Second oil crisis Economic growth and the gapExhaustion of Import Substitution

Industrialization

Explaining the Third Wave: Political Dimensions

Fall of remnants of colonial empires?

Middle sectors felt threatened by policies of dictatorships?

New policies of external actors ?

Has the Third Wave of Democracy Run Its Course

?

Does direct democracy lead to Electoral Authoritarianism?