The Fujimori Legacy: The Rise of Electoral Authoritarianism in Peru

President Alberto Fujimori's sudden resignation in November 2000 brought an end to a highly controversial period in Peruvian history. His meteoric rise to power in 1990 fueled by widespread popular support, followed by his decision to dissolve Congress and rule by decree in 1992, has made his regime a focus of special attention by scholars trying to understand this complex and contradictory presidency. This book offers a comprehensive assessment of Fujimori's regime in the context of Latin America's struggle to consolidate democracy after years of authoritarian rule. Setting the regime conceptually in a discussion of alternative forms of government - delegative democracy, neopopulism, and electoral authoritarianism - the essays study it from two different perspectives: external (in its relations with political parties, Lima's mayors, public opinion, women, the U.S. government) and internal (examining economic policies as determined by governing coalitions, networks of corruption, and Fujimori's unsavory relationship with his security advisor Vladimiro Montesinos). Overall, "The Fujimori Legacy" helps illuminate the persistent obstacles that Latin American countries face in establishing democracy. In addition to the editor, contributors are Robert Barr, Maxwell Cameron, Catherine Conaghan, Henry Dietz, Philip Mauceri, Cynthia McClintock, David Scott Palmer, Kenneth Roberts, Gregory Schmidt, John Sheahan, Kurt Weyland, and Carol Wise.

Table of Contents:
Contents Acknowledgments List of Abbreviations Introduction Julio F. Carrión 1. The Rise and Decline of Fujimori’s Neopopulist Leadership Kurt Weyland 2. An Authoritarian Presidency: How and Why Did Presidential Power Run Amok in Fujimori’s Peru? Philip Mauceri 3. Fujimori and the Mayors of Lima, 1990–2001: The Impact and Legacy of Neopopulist Rule Robert R. Barr and Henry Dietz 4. Do Parties Matter? Lessons from the Fujimori Experience Kenneth M. Roberts 5. The Immoral Economy of Fujimorismo Catherine M. Conaghan 6. Public Opinion, Market Reforms, and Democracy in Fujimori’s Peru Julio F. Carrión 7. All the President’s Women: Fujimori and Gender Equity in Peruvian Politics Gregory D. Schmidt 8. Redirection of Peruvian Economic Strategy in the 1990s: Gains, Losses, and Clues for the Future John Sheahan 9. Against the Odds: The Paradoxes of Peru’s Economic Recovery in the 1990s Carol Wise 10. The Often Surprising Outcomes of Asymmetry in International Affairs: United States–Peru Relations in the 1990s David Scott Palmer 11. Electoral Authoritarian Versus Partially Democratic Regimes: The Case of the Fujimori Government and the 2000 Elections Cynthia McClintock 12. Endogenous Regime Breakdown: The Vladivideo and the Fall of Peru’s Fujimori Maxwell A. Cameron Conclusion: The Rise and Fall of Electoral Authoritarianism in Peru Julio F. Carrión Bibliography Appendix. Peru, 1990–2000: A Basic Chronology Contributors Index

About the Author :
Julio F. Carrion is Associate Professor of Political Science and International Relations at the University of Delaware.

Review :
"The Fujimori Legacy brings together a collection of insightful essays, which collectively document the steady rise of autocratic rule in Peru following the 1992 autogolpe and the ineffectiveness of oppositional actors and institutions in neutralizing this transition. By discussing the role of public opinion, the absence of political parties, state reform, military backing, corruption, and media collusion, among other things, the book sheds new light on the complex and contradictory dynamics of Fujimorismo. This book makes an important contribution to the scholarly understanding of authoritarianism in an era of widespread democratization." - Moises Arce, Louisiana State University"