Post War Transitions: Elections and Political Parties in El Salvador and Nicaragua

Abstract

This essay evaluates the work of Mainwaring and Scully which asserts that higher levels of institutionalization of parties and party systems is associated with enhanced levels of governability and more stable policy making. More polarization, more volatility and more fragmentation increase uncertainty and characterize inchoate party systems. These tend to reduce accountability, and make it difficult to establish channels of representation or sustain policy direction. Institutionalized party systems, in this view, offer better possibilities of consolidation of democracy. This essay examines the situation in both El Salvador and Nicaragua.