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Articles 1 - 8 of 8
Full-Text Articles in Social and Behavioral Sciences
A Diplomatic Theatre Of The Absurd: Canada, The Oas And The Coup In Honduras, Maxwell A. Cameron, Jason Tockman
A Diplomatic Theatre Of The Absurd: Canada, The Oas And The Coup In Honduras, Maxwell A. Cameron, Jason Tockman
Maxwell Cameron
Throughout the crisis caused by the coup in Honduras in 2009, Canada moved in lockstep with the United States. Doing so clashed with Canada's frequently stated commitment to multilateralism and democracy.
The State Of Democracy In The Andes: Introduction To A Thematic Issue Of Revista De Ciencia Politica, Maxwell A. Cameron
The State Of Democracy In The Andes: Introduction To A Thematic Issue Of Revista De Ciencia Politica, Maxwell A. Cameron
Maxwell Cameron
This overview finds evidence for concern about the ability of the governments in Colombia and Venezuela to hold free and fair elections and a trend toward the concentration of executive power in most countries in the sub-region. The separation of powers has been most sharply eroded in Venezuela; but Bolivia and Ecuador are moving in a similar direction. Colombia has a robust constitutional order, including a remarkably independent judiciary, however, constitutional order is threatened by the growing concentration of executive power. At the same time, most Andean countries are experimenting with new mechanisms of participation. There are sharp contrasts between …
Latin America’S Left Turns: Beyond Good And Bad, Maxwell A. Cameron
Latin America’S Left Turns: Beyond Good And Bad, Maxwell A. Cameron
Maxwell Cameron
In rapid succession leftwing parties have been elected to government in some of the most important countries in the Latin American region. I challenge the view that there are two distinct variants of the left—one populist, the other social democratic—and argue that variation on the left reflects the diverse conditions under which these forces emerge and evolve. I outline common features shared by the left in Latin America; suggest how the concept of populism and analysis of social movements can help explain this variation; and show how the left’s commitment to egalitarianism, balancing markets, and, in some cases, appeals to …
El Giro A La Izquierda Frustrado En Peru: El Caso De Ollanta Humala, Maxwell A. Cameron
El Giro A La Izquierda Frustrado En Peru: El Caso De Ollanta Humala, Maxwell A. Cameron
Maxwell Cameron
The unexpected rise of radical nationalist candidate Ollanta Humala in the Peruvian general election of 2006 took many observers by surprise. This article analyzes the origin and nature of the Humala candidacy, evaluates whether his campaign capitalized on weaknesses in the party system, and the degree to which it reflected a repudiation of neoliberal policies, the state of democracy, or the performance of recent elected governments.
Democracy Without Parties? Political Parties And Regime Change In Fujimori’S Peru, Maxwell A. Cameron, Steven Levitsky
Democracy Without Parties? Political Parties And Regime Change In Fujimori’S Peru, Maxwell A. Cameron, Steven Levitsky
Maxwell Cameron
Political parties are critical to Latin American democracy. This was demonstrated in Peru, where an atomized, candidate-centered party system developed after Alberto Fujimori's 1992 presidential self-coup. Party system decomposition weakened the democratic opposition against an increasingly authoritarian regime. Since the regime collapsed in 2000, prospects for party rebuilding have been mixed. Structural changes, such as the growth of the informal sector and the spread of mass media technologies, have weakened politicians' incentive to build parties. Although these changes did not cause the collapse of the party system, they may inhibit its reconstruction.
Canada's Engagement With Democracies In The Americas, Maxwell A. Cameron, Catherine Hecht
Canada's Engagement With Democracies In The Americas, Maxwell A. Cameron, Catherine Hecht
Maxwell Cameron
Canada’s engagement with Latin America over the past two decades was predicated on three inter-related assumptions: that the region was becoming more democratic, that it had embraced markets, and that, as a result, it was reasonable to expect a more cooperative and pragmatic tone in inter-American affairs. These assumptions have proven faulty. Although democracy remains the preferred system of government, many voters are dissatisfied with their elected governments; the record of progress in reducing poverty and inequality has also been disappointing; finally, the international politics of the region have become more fraught. The current Canadian “re-engagement” with the region offers …
Citizenship Deficits In Latin American Democracies, Maxwell A. Cameron
Citizenship Deficits In Latin American Democracies, Maxwell A. Cameron
Maxwell Cameron
There is little evidence of a crisis of electoral democracy in Latin America, yet many of the region’s democratic regimes are unstable. Recently, Latin American democracies have been threatened more by the unconstitutional and illegal actions of democratically elected leaders than by attempted military coups or systematic electoral fraud. The separation of powers is sometimes violated in subtle ways that do not necessarily interrupt electoral democracy. Such threats have been inadequately theorized in the literature. Theorizing the separation of powers could help the international community to monitor the progress or erosion of democracy in the Western Hemisphere. The proposed agenda …
Peru's Ollanta Humala: The Rise And Limits Of A Left-Wing Political Outsider, Maxwell A. Cameron
Peru's Ollanta Humala: The Rise And Limits Of A Left-Wing Political Outsider, Maxwell A. Cameron
Maxwell Cameron
The unexpected rise of radical nationalist candidate Ollanta Humala in the Peruvian general election of 2006 took many observers by surprise. Despite winning a 31 percent plurality of the vote in the first round, however, Humala lost in the runoff, by a margin of 47 to 53 percent, to Alan García Pérez of the American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA). Since the early 1990s, Peru has been governed by a succession of political “outsiders,” a trend that has taken a heavy toll on the nation’s party system and democracy. The irruption of Humala, especially in the context of economic growth, demonstrated …