When and Where Do Elections Matter? A Global Test of the Democratization by Elections Hypothesis, 1900-2012

35 Pages Posted: 2 Aug 2015 Last revised: 24 May 2016

See all articles by Amanda Edgell

Amanda Edgell

University of Florida, Department of Political Science

Valeriya Mechkova

University of Gothenburg - V-Dem Institute

David Altman

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Michael Bernhard

University of Florida

Staffan I. Lindberg

University of Gothenburg - Varieties of Democracy Institute; University of Gothenburg - Department of Political Science

Date Written: August 1, 2015

Abstract

To date studies assessing the democratizing effects of elections have produced mixed results. While findings suggest that successive uninterrupted election cycles in a global sample (Teorell and Hadenius 2009) and within sub-Saharan Africa (Lindberg 2006, 2009) have a robust positive impact on democratization, tests in other regions have been less encouraging. In particular, negative empirical findings in Latin America (McCoy and Hartlyn 2009) and Postcommunist Europe (Kaya and Bernhard 2013) call into question whether the democratizing effect of elections is isolated to the sub-Saharan region. In addition, the hypothesis has been subject to conceptual criticism (Lust-Okar 2009). This paper poses a comprehensive and global set of tests on the democratizing effect of elections, assessing the scope of the argument both geographically and temporally. We test whether elections have a democratizing effect in specific regions, in specific time periods, and globally. In particular we assess whether the effects are largely confined to Africa, during the third wave, or if this is a more general phenomenon. We find consistent support that the reiteration of contested multiparty elections leads to the improvement of rule of law and the quality of civil rights protections.

Suggested Citation

Edgell, Amanda and Mechkova, Valeriya and Altman, David and Bernhard, Michael and Lindberg, Staffan I., When and Where Do Elections Matter? A Global Test of the Democratization by Elections Hypothesis, 1900-2012 (August 1, 2015). V-Dem Working Paper 2015:8, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2638285 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2638285

Amanda Edgell (Contact Author)

University of Florida, Department of Political Science ( email )

PO Box 117325
Gainesville, FL 32611-7325
United States

Valeriya Mechkova

University of Gothenburg - V-Dem Institute ( email )

Sweden

David Altman

Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile ( email )

Michael Bernhard

University of Florida ( email )

Staffan I. Lindberg

University of Gothenburg - Varieties of Democracy Institute ( email )

Sprängkullsgatan 19
Gothenburg, Gothenburg 405 30
Sweden

HOME PAGE: http://v-dem.net

University of Gothenburg - Department of Political Science ( email )

Box 711
Gothenburg, S-405 30
Sweden

HOME PAGE: http://www.pol.gu.se

Do you have negative results from your research you’d like to share?

Paper statistics

Downloads
192
Abstract Views
1,485
Rank
284,996
PlumX Metrics