April 2002, Volume 13, Issue 2
Elections Without Democracy: The Menu of Manipulation
Elections, usually taken to be a hallmark of democracy, can also become a tool of authoritarian powerholders seeking to legitimate their rule.
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July 1997, Volume 8, Issue 3
Theory in Pursuit of Practice
A review of The Political Economy of Democratic Transitions, by Stephan Haggard and Robert R. Kaufman.
January 2001, Volume 12, Issue 1
The 2000 Freedom House Survey: Gains Offset Losses
Promising advances in the status of freedom in the world during the past year have been matched by significant disappointments.
July 2019, Volume 30, Issue 3
Populism and the Decline of Social Democracy
In both Eastern and Western Europe, social-democratic parties have shifted to the center on economic policy, not only sapping the electoral strength of these parties, but also opening up political space for the populist right.
April 2009, Volume 20, Issue 2
Reading Russia: Is There a Key?
Read the full essay here. Of all of the national republics that emerged out of the dissolution of the Soviet Union, Russia has had the most profound difficulties in determining its national identity. What is the essence of being Russian, and where are the boundaries of the “Russian World”? There has never been a Russian…
October 2018, Volume 29, Issue 4
Review Essay: Why Tunisia?
A review of Tunisia: An Arab Anomaly by Safwan M. Masri.
October 2011, Volume 22, Issue 4
Fukuyama’s Grand Vision
A review of The Origins of Political Order: From Prehuman Times to the French Revolution by Francis Fukuyama.
Submissions
The Journal of Democracy seeks essays that offer clear and compelling perspectives on the emergence, survival, and deepening of democratic norms and institutions. Submissions or pitches should thus be targeted to the Journal’s broad, global audience, and should avoid overly specialized terminology or jargon. Essays that feature quantitative analyses are welcome, but they must be…
April 2006, Volume 17, Issue 2
The “Mystery” of the Soviet Collapse
There was nothing inevitable about the unraveling of Soviet communism. The role played by individuals such as Aleksandr Yakovlev was crucial.
January 2003, Volume 14, Issue 1
The 30th Anniversary Freedom House Survey: Modern Democracy as a System of Separations
The “system of separations” is a historic achievement that must be defended even against normatively “purer” understandings of democracy.
April 2017, Volume 28, Issue 2
The Gambia’s Electoral Earthquake
This small West African country voted a longtime dictator out of the presidency. This victory for democracy was seemingly snatched away by his refusal to leave power—yet a breathtaking reversal lay in store.
April 2001, Volume 12, Issue 2
The Return of “People Power” in the Philippines
The mass demonstrations that ousted President Joseph Estrada recalled those that had brought down dictator Ferdinand Marcos 15 years earlier. Yet the return of “People Power” raises some concerns about the health of Filipino democracy.
January 2001, Volume 12, Issue 1
Fighting Authoritarianism in Zimbabwe
The stunning defeat of a draft constitution backed by President Robert Mugabe and the opposition’s unexpectedly strong showing in the June 2000 parliamentary elections may have marked the beginning of the end of ruling-party hegemony in Zimbabwe.
January 2010, Volume 21, Issue 1
Twenty Years of Postcommunism: Citizenship Restored
The 1989 revolutions in Central and Eastern Europe were the triumph of civic dignity over Leninism. The first decade of postcommunism saw the project of an open society strongly challenged by ethnocratic temptations. The most important new idea brought about by the revolutions of 1989 was the rethinking and the restoration of citizenship.
July 2009, Volume 20, Issue 3
Arms and the Humanitarian
A review of Freedom’s Battle: The Origins of Humanitarian Intervention by Gary J. Bass.
July 2006, Volume 17, Issue 3
The Dark Side of Globalization
A review of Illicit: How Smugglers, Traffickers, and Copycats are Hijacking the Global Economy, by Moisés Naím.
July 2004, Volume 15, Issue 3
What Makes Democracies Collapse?
A review of Ordinary People in Extraordinary Times: The Citizenry and the Breakdown of Democracy by Nancy Bermeo.
January 1999, Volume 10, Issue 1
Taiwan Gets it Right
Review of The First Chinese Democracy: Political Life in the Republic of China on Taiwan, by Linda Chao and Ramon H. Myers.
July 1997, Volume 8, Issue 3
The Rise of Election Monitoring: The Role of Domestic Observers
Read the full essay here.
October 1993, Volume 4, Issue 4
The Challenges of Ethnic Conflict: The Travails of Federalism in Nigeria
Read the full essay here.