Conservative Parties and the Birth of Democracy

In this book, Daniel Ziblatt examines the role of conservative parties in the democratization of Europe.

He argues that the stability of democratic systems depended significantly on how conservative parties, traditionally defenders of power and privilege, adapted to and interacted with the rise of democratic movements.

The book contrasts the 'settled' path of democratization in countries like Britain, where strong and well-organized conservative parties facilitated democratic transition, with the 'unsettled' path in countries like Germany, where weak conservative parties contributed to democratic instability.

Ziblatt's analysis is based on rich historical and quantitative evidence, offering a major reinterpretation of European history and its implications for modern democracies.