코스타리카 민주적 협력체계의 제도적 기반

Abstract

Costa Rica's stable democracy has been attributed to its almost homogenous population and egalitarian social structure. However, its political institutions also played an important, if not a central, role in attaining such stability. At the beginning, political parties used electoral fraud and violence to gain the presidential position which had exceptional powers. In time, however, they realized that acquiring and retaining the presidency became the main cause of instability. Thus, the political parties agreed to develop a system of power sharing. Presidential powers were gradually trimmed through the years until a democratic balance of power was achieved.