Lindberg Democracy and Elections in Africa

Erscheinungsjahr 2006
ISBN: 978-0-8018-8925-7
Verlag: Johns Hopkins University Press
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: Adobe DRM (»Systemvoraussetzungen)

E-Book, Englisch, 0 Seiten, Format (B × H): 152 mm x 229 mm

Outstanding Academic Title for 2007, Choice Magazine

This 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.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Lindberg, Staffan I.

Fachgebiete

• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Kultur Politische Propaganda & Kampagnen, Politik & Medien
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politikwissenschaft Allgemein Politische Studien zu einzelnen Ländern und Gebieten
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Systeme Vergleichende Politikwissenschaft
• Sozialwissenschaften Politikwissenschaft Politische Systeme Wahlen und Volksabstimmungen

Inhaltsverzeichnis

List of Tables and Figures
Preface
1. Introduction
The Role of Elections
Why Africa?
On Regimes
On Elections and Democracy
Preindependence and Postindependence Elections in African Nations
Contemporary Africa's Track Record
Outline of the Book
2. On Democracy and Elections
Making a Conceptual Choice
Defining Democracy
Operationalizing Democratic Qualities of Elections
Data Collection and Processing
3. Elections in Africa over Time
Frequency and Number of Elections
The Democratic Qualities, on Average
Democratic Qualities of Elections over Time Conclusions
4. The Self-Reinforcing Power of Elections
Going from Bad to Worse
First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Later Elections
A Panel-Group Comparison
Conclusions
5. The Causal Effects of Elections
Democratic Qualities in Society
A Missing Factor of Democratization
Hypotheses and Causal Links
6. Democratization by Elections?
Elections Are Associated with Civil Liberties
Analyzing by Countries
Conclusions
7. Comparative Perspectives and Reflections
The Transition Paradigm
Corruption and Democratization
Stateness and Social Citizenship
Lessons on Consolidation
Policy Implications
The Power of Elections in Unfavorable Conditions
Appendix 1: Overview of Elections in Africa, by Year
Appendix 2: Changes in Civil Liberties Rankings
Appendix 3: About the Freedom House Civil Liberties Index
Appendix 4: A Data Set on Elections in Africa
Notes
References
Index

Über Autor(innen)

Lindberg, Staffan I.
Staffan I. Lindberg is an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science and the Center for African Studies at University of Florida. His work on elections received the American Political Science Association's Juan Linz Award for Best Dissertation in 2004 and won the Annual Best Graduate Paper Prize of the African Studies Association in 2003.