PARTY RELATIONS AND DEMOCRACY IN LATIN-AMERICA

Although most political party systems in Latin America have relatively few major parties, and in many case those parties fall relatively clo sely together ideologically, the countries of Latin America have consi stently struggled with political instability. This article argues that an important factor contributing to the varying stability of politica l parry systems concerns how major parties compete. Party systems with a moderate level of competition, in which opposing parties have disti nct positions, authentically attempt to defeat their opponents, but ac cept as legitimate an opposition win, tend to be the most stable. Part y systems become relatively less stable with either more or less compe tition. Party systems with combative party relations, in which parties do not accept the right of the opposition to win, tend to be the most unstable, as the primary competitors may themselves be inclined to su pport the usurpation of democracy. However, party systems with collusi ve party relations, in which major parties cooperate closely through p acted or consociational arrangements, may also contribute to instabili ty. These arrangements may initially facilitate democratization during transition periods, but over time the stagnating party system may fai l to keep pace with a changing society. Limited opportunities for new political parties and a loss of representativeness by the older partie s encourage the development of anti-system parties.