In this Book
- Democracy and Elections in Africa
- Book
- 2006
- Published by: Johns Hopkins University Press
summary
Outstanding Academic Title for 2007, Choice MagazineThis volume studies elections as a core institution of liberal democracy in the context of newly democratizing countries. Political scientist Staffan I. Lindberg gathers data from every nationally contested election in Africa from 1989 to 2003, covering 232 elections in 44 countries. He argues that democratizing nations learn to become democratic through repeated democratic behavior, even if their elections are often flawed. Refuting a number of established hypotheses, Lindberg finds no general negative trend in either the frequency or the quality of African elections. Rather, elections in Africa, based on his findings, are more than just the goal of a transition toward democracy or merely a formal procedure. The inception of multiparty elections usually initiates liberalization, and repeated electoral activities create incentives for political actors, fostering the expansion and deepening of democratic values. In addition to improving the democratic qualities of political regimes, a sequence of elections tends to expand and solidify de facto civil liberties in society. Drawing on a wealth of data, Lindberg makes the case that repetitive elections are an important causal factor in the development of democracy. He thus extends Rustow's (1970) theory that democratic behavior produces democratic values.
Table of Contents
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- Tables and Figures
- pp. ix-x
- 1. Introduction
- pp. 1-20
- 2. On Democracy and Elections
- pp. 21-51
- 3. Elections in Africa over Time
- pp. 52-70
- 5. The Causal Effects of Elections
- pp. 99-118
- 6. Democratization by Elections?
- pp. 119-142
- 7. Comparative Perspectives and Reflections
- pp. 143-161
- References
- pp. 203-221
Additional Information
ISBN
9780801889257
Related ISBN(s)
9780801883323, 9780801883330
MARC Record
OCLC
213305486
Pages
248
Launched on MUSE
2012-01-01
Language
English
Open Access
No