Democratic Citizenship: A Foundation of Uruguayan Democracy and Political Participation

Abstract

Uruguay has a long history of democratic governance, but like many other countries in the region, the country experienced a period of military rule that was characterized by intense repression. Despite this, political participation and the strength of democratic institutions bounced back dramatically. This paper addresses why Uruguay has been so successful in reconsolidating democracy after the dictatorship and how political participation remained prevalent even after intense political silencing. I trace the political heritage, party ideology, and government institutional structure of Uruguay to explain its uniquely resilient democracy.