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Diffusion of Democracy

The Past and Future of Global Democracy

Barbara Wejnert author

Format:Hardback

Publisher:Cambridge University Press

Published:9th Jan '14

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This study of democratization since 1800 provides new data to explore the relationship between socioeconomic development and democracy.

This study of democratization since 1800 provides new data to explore the relationship between socioeconomic development and democracy over the last 200 years. Barbara Wejnert examines both countries and regions, and argues that the role of diffusion mechanisms (as opposed to internal factors) is especially significant, as are regional effects.This book explores the course and causes of the worldwide diffusion of democracy through an assessment of the political and economic development of individual countries from the year 1800 to 2005. Using this extended range of data and examining multiple variables, Barbara Wejnert creates a conceptual model for the diffusion of democracy and to measure national democratization. The author characterizes each nation's political system, its networking with other countries, level of development, and media advancement, in order to pinpoint what leads to national and regional progress to, or regress from, democratization. Her innovative findings challenge established thinking and reveal that the growth of literacy does not lead to democratization but is instead an outcome of democracy. She also finds that networks between non-democratic and democratic states are more important to a nation's democratization than financial aid given to non-democratic regimes or the level of national development.

'This study is bold in scope, impressive in the range of variables examined, meticulous in its statistical analysis, innovative in its large conclusions and full of interesting empirical details about the course of democratization in the world since 1800. Barbara Wejnert is an important voice arguing that countries do not move towards or away from democracy independently of what is happening elsewhere; analysts need to consider processes on a transnational scale.' John Markoff, University of Pittsburgh

ISBN: 9781107047112

Dimensions: 231mm x 150mm x 25mm

Weight: 660g

366 pages