Democratization of Latin America and Mediterranean Europe Flashcards
Prior to the proliferation of Democratization, what did Lat-AM and Med-EU experience with Democracy?
some countries had previously had exp with liberal dem + responsible govt but with narrow electorates
- some occurred after WWII Italy, Gr, Ecuador, Venezuela, etc - authoritarianism appeared to be discredited, some countries slipped back, then another wave in 1958 - military ceded power to citizens in Argentina, Venezuela and Colombia
§ JFK set up rewards programs - Alliance for Progress - well funded - 1bill -
What was the contextual trend in Lat-Am + med eu prior to democratization?
Military regimes, coups, and Military Juntas
Democratization of Greece
Regime: Colonels Regime
Downfall: Cyprus crisis in 1974 - encouraged a coup which led to the division of the island
Changing Regime: Colonels’ Regime handed power to Constantine Karamanlis (Conservative, ‘New Democracy Party’) who arranged elections + won, looked over Greece’s transition period
Solidifying Democracy: New Democracy eventually loses in 1981 to the Passok party led by Andreas Papandreou
Portugal Democratization
Regime: deeply embedded, Estado Novo, Antonio Salazar
What Changed: Antonio Saladar died 1968, successor Marcelo Caetano liberalized the regime a bit (dec power in secret police) - still wanted to hold onto African colonies
Downfall: Hanging on in Africa, which had insurgencies -> lots of $$$, manpower, casualties, massacres
- Spinola realized not sustainable so conducted the Carnation rev
- formed Junta + transition into democracy
- wanted the Conservative Party to be
prominent (failed)
- slow withdrawal from Africa (failed)
- Officers in Spinolas Junta were leftist due to close contact with African guerillas
- nationalized a lot of the economy, land-
reform campaign
Elections: Socialist Party won under Mario Soares, then 80s liberals won
Spain Democratization
Regime: Fransisco Franco
What Changed: Died in 1975, Franco had made changes
- Liberal Market Model -> Economic miracle
- When Franco dies, Juan Carlos became king + is influenced by 5th Republic in France (conservative populist dem govt)
- appoints Suarez as PM, a reformed Francoist -> in 1976/77 dismantled regime
Democratization: 1977 organized free election, Suarez wins (Right-leaning party) + transitions into democracy
Issues: Separatism specifically Basque
Solution: gave region autonomy -> overall Federalized Spain
1982 - Socialists win under Filippe Gonzales
Peru democratization
Regime: Military Junta
What Changes: 1980 handed power to conservative politician: Fernando Belaunde due to promising democracy
Proof of Democracy: 1985 left-wing party won: Alan Garcia
- APRA
Environment: heavy inflation, Maoist Guerillas
APRA (American Popular Revolutionary Alliance)
from the 20s, left wing - Catholic + heavily influenced by indegenizmo
Argentina Democratization
Regime: Military Junta: got rid of Peron, bad human rights abuses due to challenges from Marxist/left-wing armed opposition
Result: in the Dirty War where they went after all left-wing figures
Decline: Failure of the Falkland War - BRIT colony tried to take back in 1982, BRIT retook it
Regime: meekly headed power to conservative civilian politician: Raul Alfonsin preside over democratic transition, won elections
Proof of Democracy: Peronism then wins in 1989 + took over
Brazil Democratization
Regime: 1985 junta org elections
Transition: (right-wing) Trandredo Nevas was favoured by officers + won, but old + died during the transition period - VP Jose Sarney
Proof of Democracy: Labour wins in 2002 Luiz Lula da Solvia
Chile Democratization
Regime: Run by dictator Augusto Pinochet - human rights abuses - conducting a Dirty War
What Change: held plebiscite on liberal democracy + lost - so organized free elections in 1989
transition: Christian Democrats won (Conservatives) Patricio Alwin
Proof of Democracy: Ricardo Lagos (Socialist) wins in 2000s
Operation Condor
Right-Wing Regimes in Latin America were conducting a leftist take-down - which was funded by the CIA
Junta transition into power trends
Feel more comfortable handing power over to Conservative politicians - who oversee transition into democracies - then opposition eventually win free elections (left wing)
Outlier in Democratization trend
Portugal - right-wing Caetano cant maintain control - due to carnation revolution displacing authoritarian government instead of the regime voluntarily handing over power to civilians
Situational elements in democratization
(1) Economic problems damaging authoritarian governments -> immense public discontent
(2) failure in foreign wars (Cyprus, Falkland islands, Colonial wars in Africa)
Structural Issues that led to democratization
(1) Arg. Modernization abets democratization: growth of middle class = inc literacy rates = relatively good lives + no longer want to overthrow = auth govt less necessary
(2) The Catholic Church becomes more left-wing - liberation theology - no longer backs up authoritarian regimes
(3) Auth (Lat-Am) was a reaction to Castro, left-wing insurgencies = auth regimes out of fear
(4) authoritarian models - after big auth regimes transition it was easy for smaller countries to follow suit
