Resumen de Bohigues, Asbel. (2021). Élites, radicalismo y democracia: Un estudio comparado sobre América Latina. Madrid: Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas. 295 pages
There are many attempts to explain democratization in Latin America. Most of them treat democracy as a unidimensional concept and look for general explanations of why some countries become more democratic. In “Élites, radicalismo y democracia,” Bohigues demonstrates the theoretical and empirical relevance of investigating democracy’s many dimensions (i.e., electoral, liberal, participative, deliberative, and egalitarian). Utilizing elite surveys mixed with qualitative evidence, the book shows that legislators’ attitudes explain variations in these types of democracy. In fact, these effects may even be contradictory, helping to improve certain dimensions while worsening others. Scholars interested in democratic theory, Latin American politics, and elite behavior will benefit from this book.
