Includes bibliographical references (p. 329-348) and index.

The democratic experiment in Nicaragua : an introduction -- pt. 1. Pathways toward democracy : the case of Nicaragua. Foundations of Nicaraguan democracy : space, class, and party ; Embracing electoral choice : political discourse and the 1990 campaign -- pt. 2. Choice amidst crisis : public opinion in 1990. An empirical theory of electoral choice ; Citizen attitudes in 1990 : candidates, the economy, and the regime ; The voters are not fools : modeling the 1990 presidential election -- pt. 3. Affirming the 1990 choice : the 1996 and 2001 elections in context. The post-1990 context : democratic foundations and public choice ; Reaffirming citizen choice : the 1996 and 2001 elections ; Learning democracy in and from Nicaragua : concluding perspectives.

Historically, Nicaragua has been mired in poverty and political conflict, yet the country has become a model for the successful emergence of democracy in a developing nation. Learning Democracy tells the story of how Nicaragua overcame an authoritarian government and American interventionism by engaging in an electoral revolution that solidified its democratic self-governance. By analyzing nationwide surveys conducted during the 1990, 1996, and 2001 Nicaraguan presidential elections, Leslie E. Anderson and Lawrence C. Dodd provide insight into one of the most unexpected and intriguing recent a.