"The only options we have left are socialism or barbarism." - En studie av tre nutida latinamerikanska vänsterregeringar och av orsakerna till att de har uppnått olika demokratigrader.
Comparative case studyDegree of democracyNéstor KirchnerLula da SilvaHugo ChávezPolitical and administrative sciencesStatsvetenskapFörvaltningskunskapLaw and Political Science
This comparative case study, which is based on a most similar system design,investigates why the Chávez government has attained a lower degree of democracy than the Kirchner and the Lula governments. In order to develop asupplementary theory about why governments in general achieve various degrees of democracy I compare these governments and examine what policies that differ them and why. My results show that these governments? policies differ concerning the rule of law, militarization, and negotiations with economic groups and anti-regime parts of civil society. I have found numerous answers to why some of these governments (and governments in general) have democratic policies within these four areas and why some do not. Two main reasons for the various policies are the occurrence or absence of military backgrounds among the main actors and of governmental needs to secure the military's support. Other explanatory factors are the existence or lack of an economically self-sufficient state-apparatus, a democratic culture among political elites and a need to suppress violent opposition and anti-regime parts of civil society. The extent, to which governments have authoritarian legacies, collaborate with democracies and need electorate support, also affect their policies.