New Varieties of Democracy data from 1789-2015 reveals bureaucratic quality's crucial role in democratic survival, while state capacity shows no significant effect.
Key Argument: The authors systematically interrogate eight 'state-first' claims regarding modern democracy.
### Data & Methods
* Leverages newly compiled Varieties of Democracy dataset covering 1789-2015.
* Analyzes entire period including transitions and democratic spells.
### Findings
* High bureaucratic quality at transition onset or during democracy boosts survival and deepening. ✅
* State capacity (territorial control) does not reliably affect these outcomes. ❌
* Bureaucratic impartiality is more vital than overall state strength for democratic consolidation.
### Implications
These results demonstrate the need to disaggregate 'state strength' and prioritize enhancing bureaucratic structures specifically.
| State First? A Disaggregation and Empirical Interrogation was authored by Jonathan Doucette and David Andersen. It was published by Cambridge in BJPS in 2022. |
