Sources of Democratic Consolidation
Gerard Alexander | Cornell University Press
January 07, 2002

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  • Title:

    Sources of Democratic Consolidation

  • Hardcover Price:

    45.00

  • Hardcover ISBN:

    0801439477

  • Hardcover Dimensions:

    9.3'' x 6.3''
  • 304 Hardcover pages

Why did precarious and collapsed democracies in Europe develop into highly stable democracies? Gerard Alexander offers a rational choice theory of democratic consolidation in a survey of the breakdowns of and transitions to democratic institutions.

Through an analysis of developments in Spain, Britain, France, Germany, and Italy, Alexander explores how key political sectors established the long-term commitment to democracy that distinguishes consolidated democracies. Alexander makes a highly accessible rationalist argument about the conditions under which such commitments emerge, arguing that powerful sectors abandon options for overthrowing democratic rules only when they predict low risks in democracy. The author's argument parallels established claims about the predictability that is essential to the development of modern capitalism.

Gerard Alexander is a visiting scholar at AEI.

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About the Author

 

Gerard
Alexander
  • Gerard Alexander is also an associate professor of politics at the University of Virginia.  He is currently researching and writing a book on issues of race and the modern conservative movement in America.  His previous work has examined the conditions for stable democracy, America's policy of democratization abroad, and perceptions of the United States abroad after 9/11. He is the author of The Sources of Democratic Consolidation (Cornell University Press, 2002).
  • Phone: 202-375-7826
    Email: galexander@aei.org
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