Archive Report
Archive Report
Trend to Civilian Rule
Cyclical Nature of Region's Democracy
Democracy seems to rise and fall like a tide in Latin America. So closely intertwined are the politics and economies of the Latin American republics that movements toward or away from authoritarian governments in one country more often than not trigger parallel reactions in others. The democratic tide is now rising throughout the hemisphere and particularly in South America, but there is no guarantee, given the history of the region, with its chronic instability, that the trend toward civilian elected governments will be permanent or even that it will continue for a prolonged period.
Even as the generals return to their barracks, the South American governments face a challenge of unprecedented proportions in the form of a mountain ...