Reviews
For the foreseeable future, this book will be the essential reference on African multiparty elections.
A good and timely book on a very important topic... His prose highlights his expertise in Africa, the comparative literature on democratization, democratization in Africa, and methodology.
An important contribution to the study of African politics and democratization in general... Highly recommended.
A rigorous investigation... This book makes a notable contribution to the study of electoral politics, democratisation theory and the study of African politics.
Lindberg contributes a serious study that has significant heuristic value and will encourage a testing and retesting of its hypotheses and theoretical premises.
This book is an original, important, and in many ways impressive study that will make a contribution to both electoral and Africanist scholarship.
This book is a path-breaking and much-needed study of the role of elections in Africa.
Lindberg has done a good job. Written with serious academic and methodological rigor, this book contributes to the discourse on comparative democratization in Africa.
Contains significant levels of data and analysis and will be a useful text for students and practitioners alike.
Essential reading for all people interested in elections and democracy in Africa.
Draws far-reaching and well-based conclusions about the 'power of elections.'
Without doubt, this study provides a strong stimulus for future research, and this is precisely what excellent scientific work is meant to be.
There is a dearth of publications on democratization in Africa, but here is a book that is presented on the basis of solid empirical data and carries a surprisingly positive message. Lindberg meticulously codes all the information on African elections and democratization and makes it available to the scholarly community. This first-rate book is complete in theoretical respects and demonstrates Lindberg's great versatility in handling large amounts of data.
Book Details
List of Tables and Figures
Preface
1. Introduction
The Role of Elections
Why Africa?
On Regimes
On Elections and Democracy
Preindependence and Postindependence Elections in African Nations
Contemporary Africa
List of Tables and Figures
Preface
1. Introduction
The Role of Elections
Why Africa?
On Regimes
On Elections and Democracy
Preindependence and Postindependence Elections in African Nations
Contemporary Africa's Track Record
Outline of the Book
2. On Democracy and Elections
Making a Conceptual Choice
Defining Democracy
Operationalizing Democratic Qualities of Elections
Data Collection and Processing
3. Elections in Africa over Time
Frequency and Number of Elections
The Democratic Qualities, on Average
Democratic Qualities of Elections over Time Conclusions
4. The Self-Reinforcing Power of Elections
Going from Bad to Worse
First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Later Elections
A Panel-Group Comparison
Conclusions
5. The Causal Effects of Elections
Democratic Qualities in Society
A Missing Factor of Democratization
Hypotheses and Causal Links
6. Democratization by Elections?
Elections Are Associated with Civil Liberties
Analyzing by Countries
Conclusions
7. Comparative Perspectives and Reflections
The Transition Paradigm
Corruption and Democratization
Stateness and Social Citizenship
Lessons on Consolidation
Policy Implications
The Power of Elections in Unfavorable Conditions
Appendix 1: Overview of Elections in Africa, by Year
Appendix 2: Changes in Civil Liberties Rankings
Appendix 3: About the Freedom House Civil Liberties Index
Appendix 4: A Data Set on Elections in Africa
Notes
References
Index