From Dissent to Democracy : The Promise and Perils of Civil Resistance Transitions

The existing scholarly literature on democratization has found that transitions initiated by nonviolent resistance tend to be more likely to lead to democracy, a critically-important finding in a time when democracy may be backsliding around the world. But there are many prominent exceptions to that trend. So why do some nonviolent transitions end in democracy and others do not? This book is the first to systematically examine transitions initiated by nonviolent resistance. In the book, the author argues that two key challenges: maintaining high levels of social mobilization and directing that mobilization away from revolutionary "maximalist" goals and tactics towards supporting new institutions are the key factors explaining when democracy will follow nonviolent resistance campaigns. It tests the theory using a global statistical analysis of all political transitions and three case studies from Nepal, Zambia, and Brazil.

Peaceful protest is a strong driver for democratization across the globe. Yet, it doesn''t always lead to democratic transition, as seen in the Arab Spring revolutions in Egypt or Yemen. Why do some nonviolent transitions end in democracy while others do not? In From Dissent to Democracy, Jonathan Pinckney systematically examines transitions initiated by nonviolent resistance campaigns and argues that two key factors explain whether or not democracy will follow such efforts. First, a movement must sustain high levels of social mobilization. Second, it must direct that mobilization away from revolutionary "maximalist" goals and tactics and towards support for new institutions. Pinckney tests his theory by presenting a global statistical analysis of all political transitions from 1945-2011 and three case studies from Nepal, Zambia, and Brazil. Original and empirically rigorous, this book provides new insights into the intersection of democratization and nonviolent resistance and gives actionable recommendations for how to encourage democratic transitions.