how can we explain the poor quality of democracy in latin america? (not its fragility)?
367691
Widespread, long-term corruption common to all levels of society, their institutions, their bureaucracies, all political parties, and abject indifference to this state of being.
96187
I'm from Mexico, and I think that saying is true to a segment of the population, because, unfortunately, there's many people that exchange their vote for money, or for food, and stuff like that... This happens because most of the people that vote have no education, or at least not the necessary level to understand what's better for the country, for example, right now, there's a party which candidate is, I really don't know the word, but he's so bad for our country that, if he wins, we'll be like in Cuba, but the people think that everything that he says is good, because they don't really know what politics are about...\nThat's why that saying is not applicable for everyone...\nSomething good for my country: there are so many things to change and a level of corruption that's difficult to overpass, that I really don't know if there's a solution...
85217
Dictatorships (and their circle of associates) are ultimately more corrupt than any other form of government.\n\nHowever, when it comes to Society they are probably the least corrupt because if one is found to be corrupt by the standards of the goverment he could easily be executed.\n\nModern day Monarchies I would say are less corrupt. Old day Monarchies could range from little to full corruption.\n\nSocialists are democratic they are just not capitalists.\n\nCommunism as practiced in recent eras was very veryyy corrupt, however, in Russia there is more corruption now that is a democracy than before.\n\nUsually it is a case by case on each society that you should mostly look at
190518
Democracy is better in any form or shape and like two sides of a coin has its goods and bad...............but you gotto believe in it, the fundamentals of democracy that is right to the people ..............\n\nand isnt corruption also there in any form of government.........think abt it ....
598731
1970's -- incinerated 600,000 peasants in the country next to the country the US was at war with.\n\nafter that ... hooked up with saddam hussain and helped end democracy in several latin american nations.\n\ntoday ... hard to believe people in the US buy the line about spreading democracy.
691919
nearly impossible question to answer accurately unless you defined 'ehtical lapse' and then researched it over the past 200+ years.  I'd tend to say it is about even and there are definitely examples of corruption in both major parties.
134925
Mexico's government is officially a democracy.\nThat is the image.\nRight now I am living in mexico and I can tell you from personal experience that its not true.\nI have to say that corruption is institutenalized. \nBribery though, it is trying to be stamped out.. (supposedly)\nIt is part of the way of life from traffic tickets to bussiness permits, even political office. \nHell if any officer pulls you over and trys to scare you chances are he wants a bribe.\nOfficially mexico is a democracy with a president,and a senate and a salon de deputados which kind of acts like the supreme court. \nreally though its like the wild west.
242347
It would help if you told us where you saw those terms used because academics like to throw random words like that around all the time. I've heard of developmental democracy, implying that a democratic political system hasn't been fully formed yet and only includes some elements of democracy (usually formal processes like elections, but no change of government). I would say a "developmental state" has the same idea behind it, maybe to include economic and social development.\n\nA minimal state, though, often referenced alongside "neoliberalist" economic policies refers to instances where governments limit their role in citizens lives. Accordingly, governments are only responsible for national security, law and order and regulation of market (but only to prevent corruption and economic crises).
529426
YOu can search that online, but it did not do much for Latin America. It made more damage than good.
569844
If you watched movie Equilibrium you might guess. Your country has become shadow of democracy ruled by certain designated circles which use and not used to real democracy.
628858
Democracy spread during the 1990's as a result of the collapse of Communist rule over the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe. This process was more a feature of the late 1980's and early 1990's. It was also a trend in Latin America, Southeast Asia, Taiwan and S Korea. Some Arab and African states—notably Lebanon and the Palestinian Authority— moved towards greater liberal democracy in the 1990s and 2000s. As a result of these changes, more than 50% of the world's population lived in democratic regimes in 2000.
514434
absolutely, Mexico is a good example.  Where a few super rich control the government.  Have drug lords controling the rest.  Keep the populous in abject poverty.  The brutality is over whelming.  The masses could over throw the few and take back there government and establish one that isn't so corrupt.  That would benefit the people.\nimmigrateing to America while understandable is hardly the answer.
204252
Democracy is a device that ensures we shall be governed no better than we deserve.\n\nGeorge Bernard Shaw
1082456
The problem with the third world is the tremendous corruption and inability of the public to alter that corruption without a revolution and bloodshed. Diplomatic involvement by stronger countries with aid or trade aggreements in exchange for political reform is a slow adruous option that minimally works. When strong powerful countries convince a country to have a free and open election without rigging or involvement and the people actually vote in people they want in, the change can begin, but if it falls back into corruption or they vote in a bad person, then it was all for nothing. So the people pay a coyote and come to the US.
858816
I heard about that - it's pathetic that people in a demotcratic society have to be bribed to vote.\n\nFP
110249
Gee, where do I start.  Let's see, corrupt government. Incompetent officials.  Brutal police force and military.  Deep religious divide.  Lack of accountability (I guess that goes with the corrupt government).  I would be surprised if it's NOT falling apart.  It has been failing apart for a good part of the past few centuries.
534835
one might be made to think so. democracy itself, is not all what others might want to adopt.for example, democracy exited long time ago in Africa before the west adopted it. democracy in Africa, was through the kings and chiefs. today in some parts of Africa, it still exits. African governments have adopted the western way of democracy, but does not work for them. so I personally, does not think so.\nit does not improve economical performances, but rather make people in power or in high offices to become more corrupt.