The Party Paradox: a Comment Nicolas van de Walle (Cornell) February 20, 2018. Issue 6 (18th August 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: van de Walle, Nicolas
• Is Part Of: Democratization. Volume 25:Issue 6(2018)
• Page Start: 1052
• Page End: 1062
• Publication Date: 2018-08-18
• Subjects: Political parties -- Africa -- elections -- primaries -- violence -- democracy -- democratic consolidation -- candidate selection; Democracy -- Periodicals; Economic history -- 1990- -- Periodicals; Democratization -- Periodicals; 321.8
• DOI: 10.1080/13510347.2018.1464253
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1351-0347

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This article analyzes several stylized facts and implications concerning intra-party violence developed in the other articles of this special issue on intra-party violence in African electoral systems. It then turns more specifically to the implications of intra-party violence for democratic consolidation in the region, and argues that paradoxically, though parties are centrally important to democratic politics, the degree to which they are internally inclusive and participatory may not have much importance, or may indeed undermine democracy. Though they are perhaps the key actor on the path to a consolidated democracy, they tend to work best when they themselves are not internally democratic.