Much as Augusto Pinochet's 1973 coup in Chile stood as a symbol of the challenges of an earlier period, Alberto Fujimori's 1992 presidential coup became a symbol of the present challenges of democratization in Latin America and the world. In this authoritative book, Charles D. Kenney explores why and how democracy broke down in Peru in 1992. His analysis of Peruvian politics sheds light on the problems of democratic stability in new democracies and points to strategies for preventing future failures in other countries.

Kenney's central argument is that institutional factors-especially the absence of a legislative majority-played a crucial role in the collapse of democracy in Peru in 1992 and throughout Latin America over the last forty years. This argument, which is theoretically and politically controversial in the case of Peru, is examined alongside alternative explanations of Fujimori's coup. Kenney tests the Peruvian case study in a cross-national assessment of democratic breakdowns in Latin America since 1960.

Containing a unique compilation of original quantitative data, Fujimori's Coup and the Breakdown of Democracy in Latin America is the only book-length study to treat this subject. Kenney's findings will be important for political scientists, scholars of Latin America, and policy makers.

About the Author

Charles D. Kenney is assistant professor of comparative and Latin American politics at the University of Oklahoma.

Reviews

"Charles Kenney's book is an important contribution to an emergent body of work analyzing the Fujimori years in Peru. . . Kenny provides a glimpse into the years leading up to Fujimori's 1992 autogolpe, both explaining the event and discussing its consequences for democratic governance in Peru." -Latin American Politics and Society

"This is the best book in English or Spanish on Alberto Fujimori's rise to the Peruvian presidency and his turn to authoritarianism. The book is theoretically engaged, driven by a keen intellect, and well written. I found Kenney's comparative analysis to be the richest and most insightful treatment of the topic in the literature." -The Americas

"This book is invaluable in many ways. Most obviously, it is the definitive analysis of Fujimori's coup. but it also provides a useful political history of Peru through 1992. More generally, it assesses and speaks to various key issues of comparative politics: the effects of weak party-system institutionalisation, the comparative powers of presidencies, both constitutional and partisan, and the causes of democratic breakdowns. It is thus a must-read for all those interested in any of these topics." -Political Studies Review

". . . This is the most comprehensive study of the controversial Fujimori presidency in Peru (1999-2000) and its many ramifications. This genuine academic study includes 46 pages of detailed notes and 15 pages of works cited. There is a superb index, and charts enhance the book. Highly recommended." -Choice

"Charles Kenney's book, Fujimori's Coup and the Breakdown of Democracy in Latin America, exemplifies the value of this kind of study. Few recent works provide such an extensive, detailed account of political developments during the Fujimori presidency. The strength of Kenney's book lies in its extraordinary amount of original data and research. Students of Peru will find the chapters of detailed chronology extremely useful. As scholars, we can facilitate movement toward democratic development through systematic research such as that achieved by... Kenney." -Latin American Research Review

"In this book on Peruvian politics, Charles Kenney leaves few stones unturned in analyzing the various factors that led to the suspension of the country's constitution . . . Kenney's analysis of the complex cluster of factors that contributed to the unraveling of Peru's political parties in the late 1980s is both sophisticated and convincing . . . Kenney has readily accomplished the goals he sets forth at the outset . . ." -Perspectives on Politics

"Given the ongoing challenges to democratic consolidation in Latin America, Kenney's focus on Alberto Fujimori's 1992 autogolpe (self-coup) in Peru is both timely and instructive . . . One of the strengths of Kenney's analysis is his careful consideration of multiple and competing explanations for the collapse of Peru's party system . . . The strengths and contributions of this volume are multiple. Kenney seamlessly weaves his quantitative data with interviews and secondary sources to produce a clear and engaging narrative . . . Kenney's exceptional study serves as an instructive and cautionary tale for policy makers, academics, and students interested in the comparative study of democratic consolidation." -Comparative Political Studies

"Kenney explores the causes of democratic breakdown in April of 1992 . . . [and] states that '[t]he central argument of this book is that institutional factors-especially the president's lack of a legislative majority-played a crucial role in the breakdown of democracy both in Peru in 1992 and throughout Latin America over the past forty years ' (p. 3). . . . Kenney aptly describes the political impasse that developed as a consequence of Fujimori's inability to secure a parliamentary majority in the 1990 elections. He describes the showdown between an increasingly hostile Congress and a president apparently convinced that his job was in jeopardy. . . . In addition to the central theme of democratic breakdown, Kenney tackles additional issues of interest to Peruvianists, such as the collapse of the party system (chapter three), the powers of the Peruvian presidency (chapter four), and the competing interpretations of the 1992 autogolpe (chapter seven)." -Journal of Latin American Studies

Book Information
ISBN 9780268031725
Author Charles D. Kenney
Format Paperback
Page Count 396
Imprint University of Notre Dame Press
Publisher University of Notre Dame Press
Weight(grams) 702g
Dimensions(mm) 229mm * 152mm * 21mm