Transitions from Authoritarian Rule: Southern Europe

An array of internationally noted scholars examines the process of democratization in southern Europe and Latin America. They provide new interpretations of both current and historical efforts of nations to end periods of authoritarian rule and to initiate transition to democracy, efforts that have met with widely varying degrees of success and failure. Extensive case studies of individual countries, a comparative overview, and a synthesis conclusions offer important insights for political scientists, students, and all concerned with the prospects for democracy. The historical example of Italy after Mussolini as well as the more recent cases of Greece, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey suggest factors that may make a transition relatively secure.

--Nancy Bermeo "Comparative Politics"

An introduction to southern European transitions from authoritarian rule: Italy, Greece, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey / Philippe C. Schmitter -- Political economy, legitimation, and the state in southern Europe / Salvador Giner -- The demise of the first Fascist regime and Italy's transition to democracy, 1943-1948 / Gianfranco Pasquino -- Political change in Spain and the prospects for democracy / Josâe Marâia Maravall and Juliâan Santamarâia -- Regime overthrow and the prospects for democratic transition in Portugal / Kenneth Maxwell -- Regime change and the prospects for democracy in Greece, 1974-1983 / P. Nikiforos Diamandouros -- Democracy in Turkey : problems and prospects / Ilkay Sunar and Sabri Sayari.