The Failure of Presidential Democracy: The Case of Latin America, Vol. 2

by Juan Linz (Editor)

Citizens of the United States, heirs to two centuries of democratic government, tend to believe that presidentialism -- rather than parliamentarism -- is the political system that best ensures a stable democracy. In Latin America, however, where many governments have been modeled on that of the United States, presidentialism has had mixed success. In The Failure of Presidential Democracy Juan Linz and Arturo Valenzuela bring together leading scholars to examine the question of whether presidentialism or parliamentarism offers the best hope for stable government and democratic continuity.

376 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 1994

About the author

Juan José Linz Storch de Gracia (24 December 1926 – 1 October 2013) was a German-born Spanish sociologist and political scientist specializing in comparative politics. From 1961 he was Sterling Professor Emeritus of Sociology and Political Science at Yale University and later also an honorary member of the Scientific Council at the Juan March Institute. He is best known for his work on authoritarian political regimes and democratization.