The Failure of Democratic Nation Building

In this book, Somit and Peterson argue that humans are social primates with an innate tendency for hierarchical and authoritarian social and political structures, and that democracy requires very special "enabling conditions" before it can be supported by a state, conditions that require decades to evolve. As a result, attempts to export democracy through nation-building to states without these enabling conditions are doomed to failure.

Steven A. Peterson is Professor of Politics, Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg and Director of its School of Public Affairs. Albert Somit is Professor Emeritus at Southern Illinois University.

List of Tables

ix

Preface

xi

Acknowledgments

xiii

Introduction

1

(8)

Authoritarian Government: The Default Option

9

(16)

What is a Democracy?: Toward a Working Definition

25

(10)

Democratic Nation Building: From Concept to Operational ``Checklist''

35

(12)

Democracy: The Requisite ``Enabling Conditions''---No Small Order

47

(14)

Will the Real Democracies Please Stand Up?

61

(16)

American Nation Building, 1945--2005: Costs and Consequences

77

(16)

The Fourth ``Whereas''

93

(18)

``Therefore Be It Resolved...'': Toward More Realistic Foreign and Domestic Policies

111

(6)

Notes

117

(20)

References

137

(14)

Name Index

151

(6)

Subject Index

157

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The Failure of Democratic Nation Building Ideology Meets Evolution

Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials