The Failure of Presidential Democracy

by Juan Linz (Editor), Professor Arturo Valenzuela (Editor)

"With a superb cast of contributors and a well-chosen sample of countries, The Failure of Presidential Democracy treats a central issue in the world today, as more and more countries try to construct durable democracies. It also reflects the new emphasis in political science on institutions, an area that has been sorely neglected in Latin American studies. Indeed, the book fills a huge informational and analytical gap on institutional arrangements in Latin American political systems. This is a stimulating, thoughtful, and relevant book--well suited to classroom use in courses on comparative politics and Latin American politics."--Paul W. Drake, University of California, San Diego. Complete Edition.

Genres: Politics, Political Science

436 pages, Hardcover

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.

Reviews

[Mike Edwards · Rating 2 out of 5]

A pretty simplistic attempt at constitutional design from an institutionalist perspective. The essays argue convincingly against the centralization of too much power in the executive branch, but their complete dismissal of the American counter-example to the premise that all presidential systems are doomed to failure is a glaring flaw to the analysis.

[Tom · Rating 1 out of 5]

easy to read and tedious.