Democratisation processes are the most important type of political phenomenon in recent decades, given the failure of the three main "alternatives" to democracy that emerged during the 20th century: right-wing totalitarianism, defeated in World War II; authoritarian regimes, undermined by the impact of economic and social change; left-wing totalitarianism, done in by the fall of the Berlin Wall. Democratisation, however, has not always followed a linear path, encountering delays, interruptions and even radical changes of direction. Placing particular emphasis on Southern European, Latin American and Eastern European countries, the author describes the transition from a non-democratic regime to a democratic one, how a democracy gets established, consolidates itself and takes root, and the potential crises of rejection of democratic experiences.

Leonardo Morlino teaches Political Science at the University of Florence.