The Spirit of Democracy The Struggle to Build Free Societies Throughout the World

by Diamond, Larry

• ISBN13: 9780805089134
• ISBN10: 0805089136
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-02-03
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Summary

"Meticulous . . . [Diamond] gleaned that . . . the fate of democracy was not driven by events but by the passion of individual people."The New York Times Book ReviewIn 1974, nearly three-quarters of all countries were dictatorships; today, more than half are democracies. Yet recent efforts to promote democracy have stumbled, and many democratic governments are faltering.In this sweeping vision for advancing freedom around the world, renowned social scientist Larry Diamond examines how and why democracy progresses. He demonstrates that the desire for democracy runs deep, even in very poor countries, and that seemingly entrenched regimes like Iran and China could become democracies within a generation. He also dissects the causes of the "democratic recession" in critical states, including the crime-infested oligarchy in Russia and the strong-armed populism of Venezuela.To spur a renewed democratic boom Diamond urges the United States to vigorously support good governance and free civic organizations. Only then will the spirit of democracy be secured.

Author Biography

Larry Diamond is the author of Squandered Victory and a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University. He has served as the co-editor of the widely respected Journal of Democracy since its founding in 1990. He lives in Stanford, California.

Table of Contents

Introduction: At the Dawn of the Democratic Era
A World Partally Transformed
The Universal Value	p. 17
The Democratic Boom	p. 39
The Democratic Recession	p. 56
What Drives Democracy: The Indernal Factors	p. 88
What Drives Democracy: The External Factors	p. 106
What Drives Democracy: The Regional Influence	p. 135
What Sustains Democracy	p. 153
The Prospects for Global Democracy
Latin America's Uneasy Progress	p. 171
The Postcommunist Divide	p. 190
The Asian Exception?	p. 208
Africa, Overcoming Personal Rule	p. 238
Can the Middle East Democratize?
The Path to Democratic Renewal
Making Democracies Work	p. 291
Promoting Democracy Effectively	p. 314
Physician, Heal Thyself	p. 345
Appendix	p. 371
Notes	p. 379
Acknowled gements	p. 429
Index	p. 433
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