Economic Origins of Dictatorship and Democracy

Thisbookdevelopsaframeworkforanalyzingthecreationandconsolidationofdemocracy.Differentsocialgroupspreferdifferentpoliticalinstitutionsbecauseofthewaytheyallocatepoliticalpowerandresources.Thusdemocracyispreferredbythemajorityofcitizens,butopposedbyelites.Dictatorshipneverthelessisnotstablewhencitizenscanthreatensocialdisorderandrevolution.Inresponse,whenthecostsofrepressionaresufficientlyhighandpromisesofconcessionsarenotcredible,elitesmaybeforcedtocreatedemocracy.Bydemocratizing,elitescrediblytransferpoliticalpowertothecitizens,ensuringsocialstability.Democracyconsolidateswhenelitesdonothavestrongincentivetooverthrowit.Theseprocessesdependon(1)thestrengthofcivilsociety,(2)thestructureofpoliticalinstitutions,(3)thenatureofpoliticalandeconomiccrises,(4)thelevelofeconomicinequality,(5)thestructureoftheeconomy,and(6)theformandextentofglobalization.