Synopsis
It is a commonplace claim of Western political discourse that capitalist development and democracy go hand in hand. Cross-national statistical research on political democracy supports this claim. By contrast, comparative historical studies carried out within a political economy approach argue that economic development was and is compatible with multiple political forms.
The authors offer a fresh and persuasive resolution to the controversy arising out of these contrasting traditions. Focusing on advanced industrial countries, Latin America, and the Caribbean, they find that the rise and persistence of democracy cannot be explained either by an overall structural correspondence between capitalism and democracy or by the role of the bourgeoisie as the agent of democratic reform. Rather, capitalist development is associated with democracy because it transforms the class structure, enlarging the working and middle classes, facilitating their self-organization, and thus making it more difficult for elites to exclude them. Simultaneously, development weakens the landed upper class, democracy's most consistent opponent.
The relationship of capitalist development to democracy, however, is not mechanical. As the authors show, it depends on a complex interplay of three clusters of power: the balance of power among social classes, power relations between the state and society, and transnational structures of economic and political power. Looking to the future, the book concludes with some reflections on current prospects for the development of stable democracy in Latin America and Eastern Europe.
The authors offer a fresh and persuasive resolution to the controversy arising out of these contrasting traditions. Focusing on advanced industrial countries, Latin America, and the Caribbean, they find that the rise and persistence of democracy cannot be explained either by an overall structural correspondence between capitalism and democracy or by the role of the bourgeoisie as the agent of democratic reform. Rather, capitalist development is associated with democracy because it transforms the class structure, enlarging the working and middle classes, facilitating their self-organization, and thus making it more difficult for elites to exclude them. Simultaneously, development weakens the landed upper class, democracy's most consistent opponent.
The relationship of capitalist development to democracy, however, is not mechanical. As the authors show, it depends on a complex interplay of three clusters of power: the balance of power among social classes, power relations between the state and society, and transnational structures of economic and political power. Looking to the future, the book concludes with some reflections on current prospects for the development of stable democracy in Latin America and Eastern Europe.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
Review
′A meticulously constructed comparative historical model of social and economic roots of formal democracy joined with a hopeful but tough–minded analysis of the difficulties of moving from formal to substantive democracy. Anyone who wants to argue about the causes and consequences of electoral democracy must take this book into account before proceeding further." Peter Evans, University of California, Berkeley ′One of the finest recent works of comparative sociology ... I can recommend the book most strongly to all those interested in the development of democracy – in the past and in the world today." Michael Mann, University of California, Los Angeles ′An absolutely remarkable book in its scope, the immense knowledge displayed by the authors, and the talent and care with which they theoretically underpin their analyses ... a fundamental contribution, historical, and comparative, to the perhaps never so important question of the interplay between capitalism and democracy.′ Guillermo O′Donnell, University of Notre Dame ′Capitalist Development and Democracy, both in terms of erudition and theoretical sophistication constitutes an impressive tour de force ... it does break new ground and does privide us with novel insights into the complex relationships between capitalism and democracy. As such it will be an essential reference and a very useful tool for further empirical research on the on–going processes of democratisation all over the globe.′ Times Higher Education Supplement ′It is a book which breaks new ground, and which certainly will inspire further theoretical and empirical studies on the complex relationship between economic development and democracy.′ Political Studies ′Ought to be widely read by management and strategic planners who are concerned with the changes going on in the world.′ Long Range Planning ′This prize winning book is arguably the most important study of democratization published in the last decade.′ Democratization ′Outstanding work.′ Australian Journal of International Affairs ′Every now and then a major new book comes along. This is one and it sheds new light on vexed questions about the relationship between capitalism and democracy ... this book is likely to become a seminal work in its field. It is impressive both in its range and depth. It is theoretically sophisticated and the scale of the case study research is commendable. The normative conclusions of the study are also important.′ AJPH
From the Back Cover
How are capitalism and democracy related? Does capitalist development today generate pressures for democratization in the same way it did earlier in the core countries of capitalism?
Past research has come to divergent conclusions on these questions. Cross–national statistical research has found that capitalist development and democracy are consistently correlated. By contrast, comparative historical studies have argued that economic development and democracy was and is compatible with a variety of political forms, and that in some cases economic development imperatives have led to the authoritarian eclipse of political competition, and that the chances of democracy in developing countries are rather poor.
The authors provide a comprehensive analysis of the structural conditions of democracy. They review existing research and offer a new theoretical framework for resolving current controversies in the study of democracy. They conclude with reflections on the prospects of democracy in Latin America and Eastern Europe.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
