Costa Rica
Quest For Democracy
John A. Booth(Author)
Westview Press Inc
1st Edition
Published on 2. July 1998
Book
Hardback
256 pages
978-0-8133-7631-8 (ISBN)
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Description
How did Costa Rica become Central Americas first successful democracy? How does Costa Rican democracy work? How does democracy survive despite regional turmoil, foreign intervention, and economic crisis? Beginning with Costa Ricas history within the Central American context, John Booth traces democratic development in Costa Rica through its institutions, rules of the political game, parties, elections, and interest groups. After a review of socioeconomic and political forces, the author examines political participation and culture, political economy, and foreign affairs. The books overview of Costa Rican politics is accessible and useful for students, scholars, and general readers. How did Costa Rica become Central Americas first successful democracy? How does Costa Rican democracy work? How does democracy survive despite regional turmoil, foreign intervention, and economic crisis? Beginning with Costa Ricas history within the Central American context, John Booth traces democratic development in Costa Rica through its institutions, rules of the political game, parties, elections, and interest groups.
After a review of socioeconomic and political forces, the author examines political participation and culture, political economy, and foreign affairs.Several democratization theories suggest that Costa Rica should not be democratic at all. Costa Ricas own myth portrays a nation democratic virtually since independence. Both are wrong. Booth reviews classical theories about democracy as a framework for understanding the Costa Rican case. A history of democratization debunks much of the foundation myth, revealing how developing class forces created the modern regime after the 1948 Civil War. Analyses of social structure, political participation, political culture, foreign affairs, and the recent transformation of the Costa Rican political-economic model reveal how regional unrest, foreign intervention, and economic crisis had transformed the state and its development model by the 1990s. Booth concludes by evaluating the prospects for Costa Rican democracy and its lessons for the rest of Latin America. The books overview of Costa Rican politics is accessible and useful for students, scholars, and general readers.
After a review of socioeconomic and political forces, the author examines political participation and culture, political economy, and foreign affairs.Several democratization theories suggest that Costa Rica should not be democratic at all. Costa Ricas own myth portrays a nation democratic virtually since independence. Both are wrong. Booth reviews classical theories about democracy as a framework for understanding the Costa Rican case. A history of democratization debunks much of the foundation myth, revealing how developing class forces created the modern regime after the 1948 Civil War. Analyses of social structure, political participation, political culture, foreign affairs, and the recent transformation of the Costa Rican political-economic model reveal how regional unrest, foreign intervention, and economic crisis had transformed the state and its development model by the 1990s. Booth concludes by evaluating the prospects for Costa Rican democracy and its lessons for the rest of Latin America. The books overview of Costa Rican politics is accessible and useful for students, scholars, and general readers.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United States
Publishing group
Taylor & Francis Inc
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Dimensions
Height: 229 mm
Width: 152 mm
ISBN-13
978-0-8133-7631-8 (9780813376318)
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Schweitzer Classification
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08/2019
1st Edition
Routledge
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Book
11/1999
1st Edition
Westview Press Inc
€78.60
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Content
Costa Rica and Democracy in Latin America; Contemporary Costa Rica in; Central America; The Historical Development of Costa Rican Democracy; The Political Framework of Democracy; Social Structure and Civil Society; Political Participation; Political Culture; Political Economy in Transition; Costa Rica in the World; Analysis and Conclusions: Can Democracy Survive?.