Shields of Democracy: Crises and Competitive Authoritarianism in Argentina and Peru

In a context in which coups d'etat and military rule have practically disappeared from Latin America, why did severe political crises under similar political conditions produce democratic stability in Argentina but competitive authoritarianism in Peru? This article presents evidence that the intra-party dynamics and the robustness of sub-national politics determine regime outcomes by limiting the long-term accumulation of presidential power. The article concludes by highlighting the importance of both factors for studying other cases.