Crafting Democracy Civil Society in Post-Transition Honduras Boussard, Caroline 2003 Link to publication Citation for published version (APA): Boussard, C. (2003). Crafting Democracy: Civil Society in Post-Transition Honduras. Department of Political Science, Lund University. 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LUND UNIVERSITY PO Box 117 221 00 Lund +46 46-222 00 00 i Crafting Democracy ii iii Crafting Democracy Civil Society in Post-Transition Honduras Caroline Boussard Lund Political Studies 127 Department of Political Science Lund University iv © 2003 Caroline Boussard ISBN 91–88306–33–X ISSN 0460–0037 Layout: PROSE DESIGN & GRAFIK Cover by Maria Strömvik Cover photo by Pontus Liljenberg Printed by Bloms Tryckeri Lund 2003 Distribution: Department of Political Science Lund University Box 52 SE–22100 Lund Sweden http://www.svet.lu.se/lps/lps.html v To Björn vi vii Contents ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS IX LIST OF ACRONYMS XII 1INTRODUCTION 1 The Research Problem 4 Contributions of the Study 6 Methodological Reflections 10 Plan of the Study and the Argument in Brief 18 2DEMOCRACY AND DEMOCRATIZATION 25 Conceptions of Democracy 25 Approaches to the Study of Democratization 33 A Note on Democratization in Central America 42 Summary 43 3DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT IN POST-TRANSITION SOCIETIES 48 Democratic Consolidation 49 Consolidation—A Multiplicity of Meanings 52 Political Institutionalization 56 Regime Performance 62 Legitimacy 64 Summary 69 4THE VIRTUES AND VICES OF CIVIL SOCIETY 72 Civil Society—the Genealogy of a Concept 72 The Abstract Maze of Civil Society 80 Civil Society and Civic Community 84 Civil Society’s Democracy-Building Potential 89 Bringing the State Back In 91 Summary 93 5CIVIL SOCIETY IN POST-TRANSITION SOCIETIES A FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYSIS 97 Civil Society in the Transition 98 Civil Society in the Post-Transition Period 101 A Structured-Contingency Approach 107 viii State-Civil Society Relations 112 The International Dimension 115 A Concluding Remark Concerning the Conceptual Framework 122 6PRE-TRANSITION HONDURAS FROM LIBERAL REFORMS TO REFORMIST MILITARIES 126 Coffee, Bananas and Liberal Reforms 1870-1930 127 Civil-Military Rule 1932-1972 132 The Reformist 1970s 141 Reform and Repression 145 Summary 151 7TOP-DOWN TRANSITION FROM MILITARY RULE TO HYBRID DEMOCRACY 154 Return to Constitutional Rule 154 Why Did Honduras Return to Constitutional Rule? 157 A Hybrid Democracy 162 Civil Society in the Transition 171 Summary 179 8POST-TRANSITIONAL CHALLENGES POLITICAL INSTITUTIONALIZATION, PERFORMANCE AND LEGITIMACY 183 Weak Political Institutionalization 184 Regime Performance and Legitimacy 195 Summary 200 9CIVIL SOCIETY IN POST-TRANSITION HONDURAS A MIXED PICTURE 203 Mapping Civil Society 204 A Democratic Civil Society? 210 Civil Society as an Educator 214 Civil Society as a Source of New Political Alternatives 220 Civil Society as an Agenda Setter 223 Civil Society as a Counterpart 229 Civil Society, the State and the Donor Community 249 Summary 256 10 CRAFTING DEMOCRACY? 262 Civil Society and Democratic Development in Honduras 263 Implications for the Study of Civil Society and Democracy 266 REFERENCES 272 ix Acknowledgements Writing a dissertation is indeed a fascinating experience. It involves the most drastic changes between enthusiasm and despair, between panic and poise, often several times a day. Fortunately, I have received help, support and encouragement from a number of people throughout the process. I have had the privilege of writing my dissertation at the Department of Political Science at Lund University, which provided a stimulating and encouraging research environment and a very congenial atmosphere. In pursuing this project, I have been fortunate in being able to draw on the support and assistance of many colleagues, and I wish to express my gratitude to all of them. However, some colleagues and friends deserve special thanks. First, I would like to thank my supervisor Professor Lennart Lundquist for his support and encouragement. In times of doubt, Lennart has always assured me that I would manage to complete the project. Professor Christer Jönsson and Professor Lars-Göran Stenelo have been very accommodating and helpful. During the last hectic months of complet- ing the text, they have offered insightful comments on the manuscript as well as important practical advice. I am also deeply indebted to Associate Professor Anders Sannerstedt. In the spring of 1996 Anders encouraged me to start this academic journey, and over the years he has shown great interest in my work and generously offered constructive criticism. I also want to express my sincere appreciation to Dr. Ylva Stubbergaard and Staffan Lindberg who did an admirable job at the final seminar, offering valuable comments on the manuscript in its penultimate form. Dr. Björn Badersten, Lennart Badersten, Dr. Martin Hall, Maria Hedlund, Professor Magnus Jerneck, Associate Professor Anders Sannerstedt, Pro- fessor Andreas Schedler and Maria Strömvik all read the whole or parts of the final manuscript and generously offered observations, corrections and suggestions. The “Third World Group” has provided an important forum for stimulating discussions, especially as regards the issues of fieldwork. I have also benefited from many interesting and though-provoking discus- x sions about civil society, democracy and development with Swedish NGOs and with the obliging staff at Sida. However, the most important process of learning took place when I conducted fieldwork in Guatemala and Honduras. I am deeply grateful to all those people who generously offered their time to answer my questions and to share their knowledge of political developments in Central America in general, and Honduras in particular. The interviews provided invaluable information, and for this I am thankful. I am par- ticularly indebted to Lic. Roman Valladares Rivera at Universidad Tecnoló- gica Centroamericana in Tegucigalpa, who provided me with the opportu- nity to do fieldwork in Honduras. Roman and his wife, Virginia Valladares Lagos, also opened up their home for me. A special recognition goes to my friend Carmen Elena Valladares de Zúniga, to her husband Emil Zúniga and to her sister Ana Carolina Valladares Lagos for enjoyable socializing during my stays in Honduras. Carmen also offered excellent assistance and great company in conducting the interviews, as did Clau-dina Isabel Erazo and Maria Cabrera. I owe special thanks to Ramón Castillo at USAID in Tegucigalpa, who patiently answered my questions regarding Honduran politics and society. I wish to extend my thanks to the staff at the Swedish embassy in Tegucigalpa. Finally, my gratitude includes Dr. Nelson Amaro, Universidad de Valle in Guatemala City, who arranged my fieldtrip to Guatemala. However, fieldwork is a time consuming and costly activity, and this project would not have been possible without generous support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida/SAREC), the Crafoord Foundation, the Lars Hierta’s Minne Foundation, the Swedish Ministry for Foreign Affairs, the Knut and Alice Wallenberg Foundation and the Department of Political Science. My gratitude extends to a number of persons who have helped me with administrative and practical matters, among them Jonas Johansson, Associate Professor Mats Sjölin and Dr. Mikael Sundström who patiently rescued me from a countless number of computer disasters. Mikael also did the layout of this book. I am grateful to Richard Fisher for proofread- ing my English manuscript. My thanks extend to Pontus Liljenberg for letting me use his photo of distribution of plots at the settlement Inmaculada xi Concepción in the department of Choluteca in Southern Honduras. The photo was taken in November 1999, one year after hurricane Mitch caused tremendous devastation to the country. There are several persons, who besides being respected colleagues, are also good friends. Here, special thanks go to Maria Strömvik who started this academic journey with me in 1996, and who has become a deeply appreciated friend. Despite her hectic schedule, she always took the time, whether it was to save me from computer crashes or to assist with English proofreading, and despite being in the late stage of dissertation writing herself, she created the cover design of the book. Maria, Dr. Annika Björkdahl and Dr. Tina Jönsson share an interest in adding pleasant ingredients to the sometimes frustrating work of writing a dissertation. The three of them really spiced up my life and made this process more enjoyable. The Tuesday Club with its permanent members—Maria