Democratic Transitions in Central America (Hardcover)

"In Latin American political studies the hottest theme of the moment is democratic transition. Much attention has been given to South America, much less to Central America. This [book] collects under one cover the thoughts of Central American practitioners addressing the process in the four countries most characterized by violence. . . . A significant and original contribution."--Fred Woerner, former commander-in-chief, U.S. Southern Command The editors address four questions: How do the powerful yield their power? How do key figures bring about political liberalization and democratization against seemingly impossible odds? What rules or arrangements do they design to achieve these outcomes? What is the behavior of economic elites in political and economic liberalization? The ten contributors are all active political figures in Central America, often from opposite ends of the ideological spectrum. They include a former president, a former defense minister, two former finance ministers, a Sandinista commander, a former associate of the Salvadoran guerrillas, and three presidential candidates--all providing reflections and insights on the processes by which they helped bring about political and economic change in Central America. Contributors are Jorge I. Dominguez, Nicolas Ardito-Barletta, Jaime Wheelock Roman, Silvio de Franco, Jose Luis Vel Jorge I. Dominguez is Frank G. Thompson Professor of Government at Harvard University. His most recent book is Democratizing Mexico: Public Opinion and Electoral Choices (1996). Marc Lindenberg is currently senior vice president for Program CARE USA and author of numerous books on international development, including, most recently, The Human Development Race (1993).