Nominated by Central European Political Studies Review

Abstract

The topic of this paper is the term opposition, both its definition and its role as a factor in the functioning of non-democratic regimes. The paper tries to conceptualize the term in the context of non-democratic regimes, to compare it with its general definition (formulated with the consolidated democracy as its research framework) and to evaluate selected existing theories that occupy themselves with the question of opposition in non-democratic regimes. The aim of the paper is to identify problematic aspects of existing theories of "opposition" and to evaluate the possibilities and limitations of the term, and theories related to it, for analysing the functioning of non-democratic regimes.

Recommended Citation

Hlavacek, Petr and Holzer, Jan (2009) "Opposition in Non-Democratic Regimes: Notes on Possibilities and Limits of Current Theory," World Political Science Review: Vol. 5 : Iss. 1, Article 5.
DOI: 10.2202/1935-6226.1059
Available at: http://www.bepress.com/wpsr/vol5/iss1/art5