Constructing Self-Enforcing Democracy in Spain

FROM ANARCHY TO DEMOCRACY, Joe Oppenheimer, Irwin Morris, eds., Stanford University Press, 2004

49 Pages Posted: 30 Jun 2008

See all articles by Barry R. Weingast

Barry R. Weingast

Stanford University, Department of Political Science

Date Written: 2004

Abstract

Although students of democracy have long been held Spain to be a paradigmatic case of successful transition to democracy, no consensus exists as to why. The purpose of this paper is to develop a new approach of democratic stability and consolidation. This approach emphasizes that, to be sustained, democracy must be self-enforcing in the sense that all actors with the potential to disrupt democracy have no incentive to do so. The theory affords a new answer to the question of what makes the Spanish case paradigmatic.

Suggested Citation

Weingast, Barry R., Constructing Self-Enforcing Democracy in Spain (2004). FROM ANARCHY TO DEMOCRACY, Joe Oppenheimer, Irwin Morris, eds., Stanford University Press, 2004, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1153464

Barry R. Weingast (Contact Author)

Stanford University, Department of Political Science ( email )

Stanford, CA 94305-6010
United States
650-723-0497 (Phone)
650-723-1808 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://https://www.stanford.edu/group/mcnollgast/cgi-bin/wordpress/

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