Skip to main content

LUP Student Papers

LUND UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES

Contesting the Status Quo- A comparative study of democratic electoral outcomes in electoral authoritarian regimes

Wahman, Michael (2008)
Department of Political Science
Abstract
There has recently been an increased interest among academic scholars on the

importance of elections as a promoter for democratic change in semi-democratic

contexts. This thesis positions itself somewhat on the side of this debate asking;

when do elections in electoral authoritarian regimes result in democratic

consequences?

Recognising that elections can be as well a tool for democratic empowerment as

authoritarian legitimisation, the study tries to avoid an obviously democratic bias

and seeks the causes for as well democratic improvements as erosion in

connection with elections.

Using a quantitative method with a global population of 283 elections in the

period 1973-2004, the sample of the study is significantly larger than... (More)
There has recently been an increased interest among academic scholars on the

importance of elections as a promoter for democratic change in semi-democratic

contexts. This thesis positions itself somewhat on the side of this debate asking;

when do elections in electoral authoritarian regimes result in democratic

consequences?

Recognising that elections can be as well a tool for democratic empowerment as

authoritarian legitimisation, the study tries to avoid an obviously democratic bias

and seeks the causes for as well democratic improvements as erosion in

connection with elections.

Using a quantitative method with a global population of 283 elections in the

period 1973-2004, the sample of the study is significantly larger than previous

investigations on this subject.

The main findings of the analysis is that while most of the theories laid out in the

theoretical literature do not stand the test of a large scale quantitative test, a high

number of demonstrations preceding the election and a larger historical

experience of previous elections, is important for the democratic electoral

outcome. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Wahman, Michael
supervisor
organization
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
elections, democracy, demonstrations, comparative, multiple regression analysis, Political and administrative sciences, Statsvetenskap, förvaltningskunskap
language
English
id
1318462
date added to LUP
2008-08-25 00:00:00
date last changed
2008-08-25 00:00:00
@misc{1318462,
  abstract     = {{There has recently been an increased interest among academic scholars on the

importance of elections as a promoter for democratic change in semi-democratic

contexts. This thesis positions itself somewhat on the side of this debate asking;

when do elections in electoral authoritarian regimes result in democratic

consequences?

Recognising that elections can be as well a tool for democratic empowerment as

authoritarian legitimisation, the study tries to avoid an obviously democratic bias

and seeks the causes for as well democratic improvements as erosion in

connection with elections.

Using a quantitative method with a global population of 283 elections in the

period 1973-2004, the sample of the study is significantly larger than previous

investigations on this subject.

The main findings of the analysis is that while most of the theories laid out in the

theoretical literature do not stand the test of a large scale quantitative test, a high

number of demonstrations preceding the election and a larger historical

experience of previous elections, is important for the democratic electoral

outcome.}},
  author       = {{Wahman, Michael}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Contesting the Status Quo- A comparative study of democratic electoral outcomes in electoral authoritarian regimes}},
  year         = {{2008}},
}