Abstract

International organizations can promote democratization, but how exactly do they achieve this goal? The authors argue that to evaluate the effect of international organizations on democratization, one must distinguish between the prevention of autocratic reversals and the promotion of democratic consolidation. While international organizations cannot directly prevent autocratic reversals in nonconsolidated democracies, they can, through capacity building, increase the likelihood that a transitional democracy consolidates. An empirical analysis of democratic transitions from 1965 to 2001 supports the hypothesis that international organizations promote democratic consolidation without deterring authoritarian reversals in nonconsolidated democracies. Moreover, the authors find that international organizations are most important for consolidating transitional democracies in the difficult circumstances created by a history of military dictatorship.

pdf

Share