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A Cultural Approach to Understanding Modes of Transition to Democracy

By integrating theories from two different scholarly traditions - Karl and Schmitter's inductive model of modes of transition and Thompson et al.'s cultural theory - this article explores the choice of strategies that are likely to be adopted by political actors in processes of transition to democracy. It also examines the probability that democracy will be established as an outcome of the transition process. The article draws heavily on cultural theory to explain choice of strategy and democratic success on the basis of political actors' cultural belonging and their consequent regime preferences. The following propositions are advanced on the basis of the analysis: (1) only one mode of transition is likely to lead to a successful establishment of democracy; and (2) cultural diversity is a sine qua non if democracy is to be instituted and to prosper.