Rethinking Party Systems in the Third Wave of Democratization: The Case of Brazil
Scott P. Mainwaring
Among the many countries that underwent transitions to democracy in recent decades, only Russia is as important to the United States and the world as Brazil. The fifth-largest country and population in the world, with nearly one-half the inhabitants of Latin America, Brazil has the world’s ninth-richest economy. Given the nation’s size and influence, its capacity to achieve stable democracy and economic growth will have global impact. Understanding democracy in Brazil is therefore a crucial task, one which this book undertakes.
Theoretically, the author argues that most party systems in the third wave of democratization, after 1974, have distinctive features ... Read more
Empirically, the author studies the Brazilian party system and democratization, with particular reference to the 1979-96 period. He underscores the weakness of the party system and the resulting problems of democratization. He argues that the party system is poorly institutionalized, explores the reasons for the difficulties of party building, and addresses the consequences of weak institutionalization, which leads him to reaffirm the central significance of parties in the face of widespread skepticism about their importance.
Show LessProduct Details
About Scott P. Mainwaring
Reviews for Rethinking Party Systems in the Third Wave of Democratization: The Case of Brazil