1st Edition

Democracy and Party Systems in Developing Countries A comparative study of India and South Africa

By Clemens Spiess Copyright 2009
256 Pages 10 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

252 Pages 10 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

256 Pages 10 B/W Illustrations
by Routledge

This book examines and compares the emergence, development and impact of the party systems in post-colonial India and post-apartheid South Africa. It sheds light on the crucial role and function of party systems in democratising developing countries. Although often described as political miracles or empirical anomalies, both countries actually figure prominently in party system and... Read more

Introduction  1. One-Party-Dominance in Changing Societies: Conceptual, Methodological and Theoretical Aspects of the Study  2. The Regional Context  3. The ‘Achievement’ of One-Party-Dominance in India and South Africa: Actors, Structures and Institutions  4. Maintenance of One-Party-Dominance in India and South Africa: Mechanisms of Control and Competition  5. Effects and Functions of One-Party-Dominance in India and South Africa  6. Comparison and Conclusion: Lessons and Prospects.  Bibliography

Biography

Clemens Spiess is lecturer at the South Asia Institute, Department of Political Science at the University of Heidelberg, Germany. Prior to this appointment, he was Country Director of the Heinrich-Böll-Foundation in New Delhi, India. His research interest lies in the field of comparative politics, party politics, the politics of South Asia and the politics of Southern Africa, democratic theory and practice, development policy and international relations.