José Ramón Montero

Citizens of many democracies are becoming more critical of basic political institutions and detached and disaffected from politics in general. This is a new comparative analysis of this trend that focuses on major democracies throughout Latin America, Asia and Central Europe. It brings together leading scholars to address three key areas of the current debate:the conceptual discussion surrounding political disaffection the factors causing voters to turn away from politics the actual consequences for democracyThis is a highly relevant topic as representative democracies are coming to face new developments. It deals with the reasons and consequences of the so called ‘democratic deficit’ in a systematic way that enables the reader to develop a well-rounded sense of the area and its main debates. This book is an invaluable resource for all students of political science, sociology, cultural studies and comparative politics.

This book, written by three of the world’s leading experts on Spanish politics, is the first comprehensive study of the origins and basic character of Spain’s democratic political system. It analyzes the regime’s core political institutions, its political parties and party systems, patterns of electoral behavior, the evolution of Spain’s political culture, and the impact of these social and institutional changes on public policy processes and outputs. The authors survey those aspects of Spanish society and politics that had contributed to the country’s inability to sustain a stable and democratic regime prior to the 1970s. They argue that the successful transition to and consolidation of democracy was made possible by socioeconomic modernization, cultural change, and by decisions made by political elites in the establishment of core democratic institutions and the conduct of electoral competition. This book is based on over 500 hours of interviews with Spanish political elites, extensive analyses of survey data, and other original research.

Spain's evolution from authoritarian dictatorship to modern democracy was a remarkable achievement, and it created a model that has since been emulated by other countries undergoing similar transitions. Yet its success raised a question that perplexes experts to this day: how and why did a successful democracy emerge in the absence of any tradition of democratic stability? This landmark textbook examines the causes and conditions that explain modern Spain's political development, and analyzes the basic characteristics of Spanish democracy today – its core political institutions, its political parties and party systems (both regional and national), and patterns of electoral behaviour. Written by two leading experts in the field, this is a truly indispensable guide for all undergraduate students of Spanish politics, history, society, and culture.

Spain's evolution from authoritarian dictatorship to modern democracy was a remarkable achievement, and it created a model that has since been emulated by other countries undergoing similar transitions. Yet its success raised a question that perplexes experts to this day: how and why did a successful democracy emerge in the absence of any tradition of democratic stability? This landmark textbook examines the causes and conditions that explain modern Spain's political development, and analyzes the basic characteristics of Spanish democracy today – its core political institutions, its political parties and party systems (both regional and national), and patterns of electoral behaviour. Written by two leading experts in the field, this is a truly indispensable guide for all undergraduate students of Spanish politics, history, society, and culture.

Citizens of many democracies are becoming more critical of basic political institutions and detached and disaffected from politics in general. This is a new comparative analysis of this trend that focuses on major democracies throughout Latin America, Asia and Central Europe. It brings together leading scholars to address three key areas of the current debate:the conceptual discussion surrounding political disaffection the factors causing voters to turn away from politics the actual consequences for democracyThis is a highly relevant topic as representative democracies are coming to face new developments. It deals with the reasons and consequences of the so called ‘democratic deficit’ in a systematic way that enables the reader to develop a well-rounded sense of the area and its main debates. This book is an invaluable resource for all students of political science, sociology, cultural studies and comparative politics.