The Political Economy of Democratization

Abstract

In the burgeoning literature on transition to democracy, two competing research programmes may be identified: that is structural, and process-oriented explanations.¹ These two programmes adopt distinct methodological stances — analysts adopting structural explanations tend to be historical and comparative, whereas those working with strategic explanations tend to focus on short-term events. The structural explanation envisages democratic transition as the outcome of long-term forces that are in turn shaped by specific economic and social structures. In contrast, the process-oriented viewpoint adopts an agent-centred orientation built around the role of strategic choices confronting government and opposition leaders in the crafting of democracies. As with any craft, the end product depends on the skill, vision, and choices of the major actors.