Why do people run for office with opposition parties in electoral authoritarian regimes, where the risks of running are high, and the chances of victory are bleak? In Activist Origins of Political Ambition, Keith Weghorst offers a theory that candidacy decisions are set in motion in early life events and that civic activism experiences and careers in civil society organizations funnel aspirants towards opposition candidacy in electoral authoritarian regimes. The book also adapts existing explanations of candidacy decisions derived from leading democracies that can be applied to electoral authoritarian contexts. The mixed-methods research design features an in-depth study of Tanzania using original survey data, sequence methods, archival research, and qualitative data combined with an analysis of legislators across authoritarian and democratic regimes in Africa. A first-of-its kind study, the book's account of the origins of candidacy motivations offers contributions to its study in autocracies, as well as in leading democracies and the United States.

A first-of-its-kind study of legislative candidacy in electoral autocracies in Africa showing how civic activism translates into opposition ambition.

About the Author
Keith Weghorst is Assistant Professor of Political Science at the V-Dem Institute in the Department of Political Science at University of Gothenburg. His research focuses on political opposition, legislatures, and civil society in electoral autocracies, with a regional specialization in sub-Saharan Africa.


Book Information
ISBN 9781316519929
Author Keith Weghorst
Format Hardback
Page Count 300
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 725g
Dimensions(mm) 236mm * 157mm * 28mm