University of Pittsburgh Press
Fragile Democracies
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Fragile Democracies

The Legacies of Authoritarian Rule

By Gretchen Casper
"What makes this volume distinctive and perceptive is the author's argument that the stability of democratic institutions in the Philippines is dependent upon the degree of support provided by the military and the church. The author did a splendid job of interviewing military and church leaders who took an active part in replacing the ancient regime with a liberal democracy. Her analysis of interview data provides us with rich insights into the nature of Filipino political behavior.
Journal of Developing Areas
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Examining the Marcos and Aquino administrations in the Philippines, and a number of cases in Latin Amarica, Casper discusses the legacies of authoritarianism and shows how difficult it is for popularly elected leaders to ensure that democracy will flourish. Authoritarian regimes leave an imprint on society long after their leaders have been overthrown because they transform or destroy the social institutions on which a successful democracy depends. Casper concludes that redemocratization is problematic, even in countries with strong democratic traditions.

More Praise

Using a number of cases in Latin America and the Philippines as recent exemplars, this book seeks to demonstrate that the aftermath of authoritarian rule is usually a fragile democracy. . . . The book's strong point is its comprehensive analysis of social institutions as political actors in times of national upheaval and what happens to them as things settle down. . . . An important contribution to the growing literature on redemocratization in Third World countries.

American Political Science Review

Casper's emphasis on social institutions as a focal point for understanding the legacy of authoritarianism makes this study distinctive."

David Pion-Berlin

240 Pages, 6 x 9 in.

January, 1995

isbn : 9780822955405

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Gretchen Casper

Gretchen Casper is associate professor of political science at Penn State University.

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Gretchen Casper