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?