Road to Democracy in Latin America

Paper Summary:

This paper examines the bumpy road to democracy in Latin America. It explains how, in a region with a long history of autocratic rule, democracy is a relatively new concept and must prove to be more favorable than authoritarian rule. The paper concludes that, because of the effects of transition and international intervention legacies, full democracy has not been meaningfully incorporated into Latin American political culture.

From the Paper:

"For the past three decades, Latin America has experienced a steady wave of democratization. While most countries in the region are currently considered democratic, they continue to be plagued with economic instability, violations of human rights and government corruption. Latin American leaders are generally chosen by free elections, but elections alone do not constitute a full democracy. A fully democratic government must be able to protect their civilians' basic rights and meet the demands of the popular will. The less-than-ideal quality of present-day Latin American democracy can be attributed to the manner in which democratic regimes assumed power, the role of international influences and the actual performance of democratic governments."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Burns, E.B., & Charlip, J.A. (2007). Latin America: An Interpretive History. New Jersey: McGraw Hill.
• Smith, P.H. (2005). Democracy in Latin America. New York: Oxford University Press
• U.S. Department of State. (2000). Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 1999. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. http://www.state.gov/www/global/human_rights/1999_hrp_report/99hrp_wha.html
• Vanden, H.E., & Prevost, G. (2006). Politics of Latin America. New York: Oxford University Press.
• Weatherby, J., Evans, E., Long, D., Reed, I., Carter, O. Arceneaux, C., et al. (2005). The Other World: Issues and Politics of the Developing World. Houston: Longman Press.

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