Oscar Oszlak investigates the attitudes toward democracy held by different groups in Argentina.
The study of democratization in Latin America has undergone several phases. Originally, scholars tried to explain what variables trigger the transition from authoritarian to democratic regimes. Then, as democracy was re-established in most countries of the region, the consolidation of these regimes became the focus of analysis, especially the circumstances that could produce a return to authoritarianism. This new interest led to a focus on the quality of the established democracies, and several adjectives began to be added to the term “democracy” to qualify its distinctive nature. “Delegative,” “restrictive,” “exclusionary,” “limited,” and “low intensity,” are just a few descriptors among dozens of terms. Even though all types meet the accepted standards of democracy in procedural terms, they are far from being full-fledged democracies.
