ABSTRACT
An enduring reality or an endangered species? That is the question that has framed the discussion of Latin American democracy in this volume. As evidenced by the analysis in the preceding chapters, answering this question is not easy. The best response is perhaps the proverbial, “it depends.” The answer varies according to region, institutions, issues, and particular countries. For some citizens in Latin America stable democratic governance is a reality, but for far too many it remains an unattained dream. In this chapter we will endeavor to weave the contributors’ arguments and present a cohesive assessment of the state of democratic governance and prospects for stability in contemporary Latin America.
