| Publication |
2006.
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| Summary/Abstract |
While structuralist explanations for regime transition focus on domestic conditions in initiating democracy within the nation-state, I argue that exogenous events such as regime removal through foreign intervention are an important causal variable to democratization. Examining regime transition in Iraq, I use the comparative approach to show that where the United States imposes democracy upon a country, it is relatively successful. To explain this empirical finding, I posit that democratization is strongly influenced by the success of US military intervention and assistance during the transitional phase and positive socioeconomic conditions within the host country during the rebuilding stage. While regime removal through foreign intervention was a necessary condition for democratic transition in Iraq, the sustainability of democracy increases with strong economic growth and development, and controlling for the adverse effects of 'rentierism'. In this regard, I suggest the prospects of Iraq building and maintaining a competitive regime are cautiously optimistic.
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