The Power of Opposition

Reviews / Votes

"This is an eye-opener on a topic of major political importance. The book demonstrates that successful functioning of democracy depends not only on the performance of the government but also on the political postures of the opposition, which are shaped in turn by the institutional prerogatives of the opposition in different political systems. The evidence is rich, the analysis is persuasive, and the conclusions are crucial for understanding the fate of democracies around the world. If you have time to read only one book, read this one."

Adam Przeworski, Carroll and Milton Professor Emeritus, New York University

"Why do electoral losers accept defeats and continue to support democracy? In this important new study, Simone Wegmann emphasizes the role of legislative institutions, showing that voters in countries with strong opposition rights are more satisfied with democracy than elsewhere. This is an original, thought-provoking contribution both to comparative legislative studies and democratic consolidation research."

Radoslaw Zubek, Associate Professor of European Politics, University of Oxford

"This is a path-breaking book about democratic consolidation. It shows that allegedly arcane details of legislative organization affect the opposition's relative power in policy making, which in turn affects voters' support for democracy. Wegmann connects two fields that have developed more or less independently: democratization and legislative studies. Her book is bound to open up important avenues for future research."

Jose Antonio Cheibub, Mary Thomas Marshall Professor, Texas A&M University