This book explores how and when popular contention affected democratization in sub-Saharan Africa during the 1990s. It makes two claims. One, for popular contention to generate a collapse of authoritarian regimes, contenders had to engage in specific forms of protest. Only when contention targeted the institutions and networks of control, governance, and resource production that held authoritarian rulers in power did regime changes occur. Two, whether or not the transition process led to the introduction of free and fair elections depended on the balance of power between rulers and the opposition that emerged from the collapse of authoritarianism. Had this balance of power tilted heavily towards the incumbent, a likely outcome of the reform process was that no elections would be held. If equilibrium emerged, the transition process would lead to free and fair elections. In cases of in-between equilibrium and severe disequilibrium, a balance of power slightly favoring rulers would result in the introduction of unfree and unfair elections.
Udgivet: 12.01.2005
ISBN: 87-7335-120-2
Pris: 50,00 DKK inkl. moms
