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Autocracy Rising
How Venezuela Transitioned to Authoritarianism
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06.02.2023
Summary
How Nicolás Maduro reinvented authoritarianism for the twenty-first centurVenezuela, which once enjoyed periods of democratically elected governments in the latter half of the twentieth century, has descended into autocratic rule, coupled with economic collapse. In his new book, Autocracy Rising, veteran scholar of Latin American politics Javier Corrales explores how and why this happened.
Corrales focuses on two themes: party systems and institutional capacity. He argues that Venezuela’s democratic backsliding advanced when the ruling party obtained far too much electoral clout while the opposition fragmented. The state then took control of formerly independent agencies of the state. This allowed the ruling party to use and abuse of the law to favor the president—which in turn generated a permanent economic crisis.
After succeeding Hugo Chávez in 2013, Nicolás Maduro confronted, unexpectedly, another change in the party system: a rising opposition. This triggered deeper autocratization. To survive, the state was compelled to modernize autocratic practices and seek alliances with sinister partners. In short, Maduro concentrated power, paradoxically, by sharing power.
Autocracy Rising compares what occurred in Venezuela to twenty other cases throughout Latin America where presidents were forced out of office. Corrales illuminates the depressing cycle in which semi-authoritarian regimes become increasingly autocratic in response to crisis, only to cause new crises that lead to even greater authoritarianism.
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Bibliographic data
Copyright year
2023
Publication date
06.02.2023
ISBN-Print
978-0-8157-4007-0
ISBN-Online
978-0-8157-3808-4
Publisher
Rowman & Littlefield, Lanham
Language
English
Pages
242
Product type
Book Titles
Table of contents
ChapterPages
Dedication No access
Contents No access
Preface No access
Acknowledgments No access
1. Introduction No access Pages 1 - 22
2. Rethinking Democratic Backsliding No access Pages 23 - 46
3. The Worst Economic Crisis outside of War No access Pages 47 - 72
