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Democratic Consolidation in Nicaragua 1979-2003 |
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Written by Randall Wood
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Friday, 06 January 2006 |
This paper looks at the growth and strengthening of democracy in Nicaragua from the Sandinista revolution until 2003, taking into account the threat posed by the pacto and a popular waning of enthusiasm for democracy in the nation.
You can read it in PDF format here.
In 1979, the Central American nation of Nicaragua, seething with political and economic
discontent under an unjust and heavy-handed dictatorship slipped the reigns of autocracy and
proceeded through two decades of political and economic growth that included aspects of
Marxism, Leninism, Liberation theology, free market reforms, and democracy. It was one of
several nations that made up the aptly named “Third Wave” of democratization, which in the
late 20th century swept through significant areas of Southern, Central, and Eastern Europe,
Latin America, and South and Southeast Asia, causing the number of governments classified
as “democracies” to nearly triple. In Central America, Nicaragua was nearly unique in
making this perilous and dangerous transition. |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 20 April 2006 )
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