Pluralism by Default

Pluralism by Default is a tour de force brimming with theoretical originality and effective use of in-depth case studies. It will enrich our understanding of post-communist politics and help reshape the way we think about democracy, authoritarianism, and regime change more broadly. -- M. Steven Fish, University of California, Berkeley, author of Democracy Derailed in Russia: The Failure of Open Politics Fascinating and engagingly written, Pluralism by Default is the definitive statement of Lucan Way's brilliant signature idea that pluralism can be understood not only as the outcome of a democratization process but also as the product of weak authoritarianism. -- Henry E. Hale, George Washington University, author of Patronal Politics: Eurasian Regime Dynamics in Comparative Perspective Pluralism by Default will change the way we understand the emergence of democracies and the consolidation of autocracies. It will fascinate political scientists, domestic and foreign policymakers, and general readers who care about how democracies emerge, and what makes them last - which should be all of us. -- Chrystia Freeland, Canadian House of Commons A major project by one of the leading scholars of comparative democratization, this accessible and easy-to-follow book will invigorate the discussion of democratization in post-Soviet countries. -- Jason Brownlee, University of Texas-Austin, author of Authoritarianism in an Age of Democratization Pluralism by Default addresses an interesting puzzle: why competitive regimes have emerged in many places under unfavorable conditions. Way demonstrates that pluralism has been maintained chiefly due to the inability of rulers with an authoritarian agenda to have it their way. This study-marked by thorough empirical inquiries and thought-provoking analyses-deserves a wide readership. -- Axel Hadenius, Uppsala University, author of American Exceptionalism Revisited: US Political Development in Comparative Perspective

In fact, the same institutional failures that facilitate political competition may thwart the development of stable democracy.Pluralism by Default explores sources of political contestation in the former Soviet Union and beyond. Lucan Way proposes that pluralism in "new democracies" is often grounded less in democratic leadership or emerging civil society and more in the failure of authoritarianism. Dynamic competition frequently emerges because autocrats lack the state capacity to steal elections, impose censorship, or repress opposition. In fact, the same institutional failures that facilitate political competition may also thwart the development of stable democracy.