Inequality and democracy in Latin America: A comparative, historical, and international perspective

Latin American redemocratization began with transitions to democracy, which occurred in the late 1970s and during the 1980s. This dissertation looks at the degree to which democracy has been consolidated since the transitions of the 1970s and 1980s. The reoccurring changes in regime type that Latin America has experienced make democratic consolidation an especially important issue.; Latin American democratization is compared with democratization in Eastern Europe by using qualitative case studies. A comparison of levels of democracy in 11 Latin American countries is made with levels of democracy in 61 developed and developing countries by using a cross-sectional time series. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses show that Latin American democratization is negatively affected by economic inequality to a greater degree than in other regions.; The problems facing Latin American democratic consolidation are different than the problems facing democratic consolidation in other regions. For instance in Eastern Europe, economic inequality is very low by global standards. On the other hand, democratic consolidation in Eastern Europe is negatively affected by the social, political, and economic legacy of totalitarianism. Such differences in the democratization process among regions will make it difficult to build theories that are both sufficiently detailed and generalizable and that explain the process of democratization across regions.; The fact that many of the challenges facing Latin American democratic consolidation are unique to the region has implications for policymakers in the region. The cross-sectional time series regression analysis shows that economic development does not have the same positive effect on democratization in Latin America that it does in other regions. Similarly, this quantitative analysis shows that economic development does not ameliorate income inequality in Latin America as it does in other regions. Latin American policymakers cannot rely on economic development to solve the region's societal and political problems, especially considering that Latin American economic growth has slowed in recent decades. Therefore, programs that are not currently in vogue, such as land reform, should be implemented. Lastly, Latin American governments must reform bureaucracies that are often plagued by corruption and waste in order that public resources are distributed more equitably and efficiently.