The Colombian Subproliarchy: State Deficiencies and Democratic Deficit

• Main Author: Javier Duque Daza
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad del Rosario, Bogota 2012-07-01
• Series: Desafíos
• Subjects: Democracia; poliarquía; derechos; elecciones; Estado; violencia
• Online Access: https://revistas.urosario.edu.co/index.php/desafios/article/view/2099

This article analyzes the Colombian democracy in the decade 2002-2011. The central argument is that Colombia is a case of democracy deficits, which does not cover the minimum of political democracies and constitutes a subpoliarchy.  In this condition, it directly affects state deficiencies in its dimensions of coercion and social cohesion. Democratic deficits occur in the basic conditions of political  competition, with regular elections, though not free, nor fair and competitive elections, in the continued presence of fraud and manipulation of election results,  and the absence of guarantees for civil and political liberties. These features justify the various adjectives applied to Colombia, always from a negative perspective.