Consolidating the Third Wave Democracies

The global trend described by Samuel P. Huntington as the "third wave" of democratization has seen more than 60 countries experience democratic transitions since 1974. While these countries have succeeded in bringing down authoritarian regimes and replacing them with freely elected governments, few of them can as yet be considered stable democracies. Most remain engaged in the struggle to consolidate their new and fragile democratic institutions. This text provides an in-depth analysis of the challenges that they face. In addition to the complete hardcover edition, the text is available in two paperback volumes: "Themes and Perspectives" - 0-8018-5794-5 and "Regional Challenges" - 0-8018-5795-3. The first volume addresses issues of institutional design, civil-military relations, civil society and economic development. It brings together scholars of democratization including Samuel P. Huntington, Juan J. Linz and Alfred Stepan. The second volume focuses on developments in Southern Europe, Latin America, Russia and East Asia, and particulary Taiwan and China. It contains essays by regional scholars including P. Nikiforos Diamandouros, Michael McFaul and Andrew J. Nathan.