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Democratizing the Democracy? Crisis and Reform in Venezuela

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 January 2018

Brian F. Crisp  and
Daniel H. Levine
Brian F. Crisp
Affiliation:
University of Arizona
Daniel H. Levine
Affiliation:
University of Michigan
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Extract

Venezuelan politics presents a puzzle to students of Latin America, and to anyone concerned with the comparative analysis of democratization and democracy. As the major countries of Latin America (and the majority of scholars) worked their way from authoritarianism through “transitions”to democracy and hopefully toward democracy’s consolidation, Venezuela moved in the opposite direction. After decades of political stability and social peace, beginning in 1987 Venezuela’s democratic order was shaken by widespread unrest and citizen disaffection, the decay of key parties and state institutions, attempted coups, and the impeachment and removal of the president in 1993.

Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Interamerican Studies and World Affairs , Volume 40 , Issue 2 , Summer 1998 , pp. 27 - 61
Copyright
Copyright © University of Miami 1998

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