ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the complex relationship between regime type and instability. While there is ample evidence that anocratic states are more likely to experience instability, conflict, and repression than full autocracies and democracies, there is also evidence that the dynamic aspects of regimes have a greater effect on violence and insecurity than do their static aspects. Irregular leadership changes are much more common in nondemocratic systems than in democratic ones. Hence, leadership changes in nondemocratic systems are also much more likely to increase instability than those in democracies. While recognizing that transitional and/or anocratic regimes are often unstable, the chapter presents concrete steps that can be taken to promote the organic growth of democracy while minimizing instability. Given the powerful effect that partial democracy with factionalism has on instability, policymakers should focus their efforts on crafting "policies and institutions that blunt or discourage factionalism when opening up political participation and competition".
