Rollin Tusalem

Abstract Previous studies have examined the causal link between Protestantism and democratization, primarily in shaping a nation-state's cultural ethos and its tendency to affect the outcome of democratic politics. Historically, Protestantism has also been linked to generating a political culture that promotes individualism, tolerance, the pluralism of ideas, and civic associationalism. Recent empirical evidence also shows how Protestant countries are more likely to be democratic compared to largely Islamic and Catholic states. Drawing ...

Abstract Since Putnam published Making Democracy Work, his seminal work on the effect of civic associationalism in promoting better institutional performance, many other studies have confirmed the deleterious effects of civil society in promoting democratic breakdown and malperformance. To solve the empirical puzzle as to whether civil society is a bane or boon for democracies, this article examines the effect of the pre-transitional strength and post-transitional density of civil society on state institutional performance among more than 60 ...