Suchergebnisse

In this second, revised and updated edition, Dr. Booth assesses the performance of the revolutionary government since 1979. The structure and operation of the regime is closely examined, as well as its policies and their implementation. The author details the difficulties the Sandinistas have encountered with the breakdown of their revolutionary coalition and the emergence of domestic and external opposition. He also discusses the difficulty of achieving economic recovery due to the effects of economic reorganization, private sector fears, and external economic sanctions. Finally, Dr. Booth focuses on the foreign policy of the Sandinistas, in particular their increasingly tense relationship with the United States.

"How did Costa Rica become Central Americas first successful democracy? How does Costa Rican democracy work? How does democracy survive despite regional turmoil, foreign intervention, and economic crisis? Beginning with Costa Ricas history within the Central American context, John Booth traces democratic development in Costa Rica through its institutions, rules of the political game, parties, elections, and interest groups. After a review of socioeconomic and political forces, the author examines political participation and culture, political economy, and foreign affairs. The books overview of Costa Rican politics is accessible and useful for students, scholars, and general readers. How did Costa Rica become Central Americas first successful democracy? How does Costa Rican democracy work? How does democracy survive despite regional turmoil, foreign intervention, and economic crisis? Beginning with Costa Ricas history within the Central American context, John Booth traces democratic development in Costa Rica through its institutions, rules of the political game, parties, elections, and interest groups. After a review of socioeconomic and political forces, the author examines political participation and culture, political economy, and foreign affairs.Several democratization theories suggest that Costa Rica should not be democratic at all. Costa Ricas own myth portrays a nation democratic virtually since independence. Both are wrong. Booth reviews classical theories about democracy as a framework for understanding the Costa Rican case. A history of democratization debunks much of the foundation myth, revealing how developing class forces created the modern regime after the 1948 Civil War. Analyses of social structure, political participation, political culture, foreign affairs, and the recent transformation of the Costa Rican political-economic model reveal how regional unrest, foreign intervention, and economic crisis had transformed the state and its development model by the 1990s. Booth concludes by evaluating the prospects for Costa Rican democracy and its lessons for the rest of Latin America. The books overview of Costa Rican politics is accessible and useful for students, scholars, and general readers."--Provided by publisher.

A comparative framework is used to examine the rapid turnover in Central American political regimes & Guatemala's place in these political transformations. The literature on regime change, democratization, & revolution is drawn upon to develop a theory of regime change that explains both shifts from authoritarianism to democracy, & similar outcomes in Central American nations that have followed different paths. An attempt is made to account for such diverse phenomena as political stability, guerrilla insurgency, military reformism, authoritarianism, socialist revolution, & civilian-led liberal democracy. External & internal influences that shape the process of regime change are discussed, with special attention given to the impact on local actors of socioeconomic & geopolitical forces outside the level of the nation-state, especially the effect of these forces on the many shifts toward civilian democracy that have occurred since the late 1970s. It is concluded that Guatemala's democratic prospects depend largely on the extent to which domestic & global contextual forces can constrain the military while new civilian-oriented institutions are being formed. 4 Tables, 75 References. J. Lindroth