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The Road to Democratic Consolidation: Assessing the Legacy of Single Party Regimes

Comparative Politics
Democracy
Democratisation
Political Economy
Political Parties
Political Regime

Abstract

Though many studies are spilled to explore the lasting effects of previous authoritarian regimes on party politics, civil society and transitional justice in nascent democracies, we know little how and why legacies of divergent autocratic rule affect democratic consolidation of post-authoritarian regimes. The article attempts to delve the relationship between legacies of single party regimes and the survival of new democracies. I argue that single party regimes, relative to its counterparts (e.g. personalist, military or hybrid regimes), could exert a positive impact on democratic survival after accomplishing democratization. First of all, power-sharing between the ruling elites prevents the dictator from acting peremptorily and squeezing all from people to his advantage, and hence decreases the likelihood of economic recession. Pack making and enforcement - economic benefit in exchange for support - between the ruling elites and people are firmly ensured by institutionalized decision making. In addition, confronting with a well-organized ruling party, the oppositions are more likely to distinguish between “them” and “us”, unite divergent social forces and therefore hold alliances together or construct more cohesive party. Finally, both better economic performance and cohesive government-versus-opposition to which single party regimes have contributed will inoculate future democracies against political instability. Based on mediation analysis with survival data and comparative case studies, the article finds that single party regimes, through high level of GDP and low degree of government and opposition fragmentation, lower the hazard of regime collapse for subsequent democracies. Furthermore, citizens who had experienced single party rule tend to develop frozen and bipolar voting behavior attributed to cohesive government-versus-opposition, but still conform to democratic norm due to a blurred line between winners and losers in the context of better economic performance. In conclusion, single party regimes leave good legacies that pave the way for democratic consolidation.