Challenges for the Collective Defense of Democracy on the Tenth Anniversary of the Inter‐American Democratic Charter

Abstract

This article examines contemporary sources of democratic crisis and the international responses to these crises from 1990 to 2011. The analysis is based on an original dataset of five domestic sources of democratic crisis: classic military coup or coup attempt, incumbent leaders, intragovernmental clashes between branches of government, armed non‐state actors, and unarmed nonstate actors including societal mass protests and blockades. Several trends are identified. The newest sources of democratic crises include nonstate actors and intragovernmental disputes resulting in constitutional crises; threats from incumbents are persistent over the entire time period; despite a decline in classic military coups since 1990, the Inter‐American Democratic Charter does not appear to have made a difference in preventing coups; the participation of rebellious military or police units in challenging civilian leaders presents a continued challenge from the armed forces in new guises; and many contemporary democratic crises include multiple actors and behaviors. This article offers explanations for the weak capacity of the international community to prevent democratic tensions from erupting into full‐blown crises or the undermining of democratic obligations by government, despite strong commitments in the form of international charters and protocols, and offers policy suggestions to strengthen that capacity.