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Political Culture of Democracy in Nicaragua: 2006

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Political Culture of Democracy in Nicaragua: 2006 …………… ……………… ……………………… ………………… … …………………………… … TTThhheee PPPooollliiitttiiicccaaalll CCCuuullltttuuurrreee ooofff DDDeeemmmooocccrrraaacccyyy iiinnn NNNiiicccaaarrraaaggguuuaaa::: 222000000666 ………… …………… …………………… ……………… ……………………… ………………… … …………………………… … By: Manuel Ortega Hegg, Director, Centro de Análisis Socio-Cultural (CASC), Universidad Centroamericana (UCA), Managua, Nicaragua Marcelina Castillo Venerio, Centro de Análisis Socio-cultural (CASC), Universidad Centroamericana. (UCA) Mitchell A. Seligson, Ph.D. Scientific Coordinator and Series Editor, Vanderbilt Univerisity ……… …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… … … This study was carried out thanks to the support of the Democracy and Governance Program if the United States Agency for International Development The authors do not necessarily reflect the point of view of the United States Agency for International Development. December 2007 The Political Culture of Democracy in Nicaragua: 2006 TABLE OF CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................................... iv LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................................... vii Acknowledgements from the Nicaragua team ....................................................................................... viii Presentation ................................................................................................................................................ ix Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................... xviii I. NICARAGUA: THE NATIONAL CONTEXT ............................................................................... 1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 1 Democracy, the presidential system of government, and the organization of the State of Nicaragua .................................................................................................................................... 4 Human development in Nicaragua .............................................................................................. 7 The Nicaraguan economy ........................................................................................................... 8 The political context ................................................................................................................... 9 Recent studies of Nicaragua’s political culture ........................................................................ 12 References ................................................................................................................................. 14 II. SURVEY METHODOLOGY ......................................................................................................... 17 Characteristics of the sample .................................................................................................... 18 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 29 References ................................................................................................................................. 29 III. THE MEANING OF DEMOCRACY ............................................................................................ 31 Definitions of democracy .......................................................................................................... 32 Depth of the meanings of democracy ....................................................................................... 33 Alternate concepts of democracy .............................................................................................. 35 Comparative analysis of alternate concepts of democracy ................................................... 37 Alternate concepts of democracy and intention to vote in 2006 elections ........................... 40 References ................................................................................................................................. 40 IV. SUPPORT FOR DEMOCRACY .................................................................................................... 41 Support for the political system ................................................................................................ 41 Tolerance ................................................................................................................................... 55 Support for stable democracy ................................................................................................... 64 Evaluations of democracy ......................................................................................................... 67 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 72 References ................................................................................................................................. 73 V. CORRUPTION AND DEMOCRACY ........................................................................................... 76 Perception of the magnitude of corruption ............................................................................... 78 Levels of corruption .................................................................................................................. 83 Victims of corruption ................................................................................................................ 86 Recognition of corruption ......................................................................................................... 88 Corruption and democracy ........................................................................................................ 90 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................... 93 References ................................................................................................................................. 95 VI. CRIME AND DEMOCRACY ......................................................................................................... 98 ii The Political Culture of Democracy in Nicaragua: 2006 The problem of criminality in Nicaragua: Victimization by crime .......................................... 98 Feeling of insecurity due to crime .......................................................................................... 104 References ............................................................................................................................... 109 VII. LOCAL GOVERNMENTS ........................................................................................................... 110 Relationship of citizens with the various levels of government ............................................. 112 Participation in municipal government administrative activities ............................................ 114 Evaluation of govenment business transactions ..................................................................... 121 Satisfaction with municipal services ....................................................................................... 125 Satisfaction with treatment received in municipalities ........................................................... 128 To whom should more obligations and money be given? ...................................................... 131 Willingness to pay higher taxes .............................................................................................. 132 Trust in municipalities ............................................................................................................ 136 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 137 References ............................................................................................................................... 137 VIII. VOTING BEHAVIOR ................................................................................................................... 138 Nicaraguan voters ................................................................................................................... 138 Trust in political parties .......................................................................................................... 152 Trust in elections ..................................................................................................................... 153 Political inclinations ................................................................................................................ 154 Evaluations of government ..................................................................................................... 157 Conclusions ............................................................................................................................. 158 References ............................................................................................................................... 158 IX. SOCIAL CAPITAL AND DEMOCRACY .................................................................................. 160 Interpersonal trust in Nicaragua
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