The survival of democracy in Latin America (1945-2005) examines why democracies survive or collapse, focusing on Latin America between 1945 and 2005. The authors argue that structural variables such as development and inequality have not significantly impacted democratic survival in Latin America. Economic performance also did not have a major impact on the survival of competitive regimes, contrary to some literature. Instead, the focus is on the regional political environment, actors' normative preferences for democracy and dictatorship, and their political moderation or radicalism. The authors argue that: 1) higher economic development did not increase the likelihood of democratic survival in Latin America during this period; 2) if actors have a normative preference for democracy, it is more likely to survive; and 3) political moderation facilitates democratic survival. The study uses a quantitative approach to determine how far ideas from qualitative literature can be generalized. The authors also highlight the importance of actors' normative preferences and political moderation in democratic survival. The study finds that democratic survival is more likely when actors have strong normative preferences for democracy and show moderation in their political choices. The evidence also shows that democratic regimes are less vulnerable to breakdown when the regional political environment contributes to the spread of democratic values locally. The study is based on the contributions of Guillermo O'Donnell, who emphasized that the level of development does not directly affect the survival of competitive regimes in Latin America. The authors also argue that the moderation or radicalism of actors has a significant impact on the survival or breakdown of competitive regimes. The study uses a classification of political regimes in Latin America from 1945 to 2010, based on four dimensions of democracy: free and competitive elections, universal suffrage, protection of civil and political rights, and effective exercise of power. The study finds that democratic survival is more likely when actors have strong normative preferences for democracy and show moderation in their political choices. The study also highlights the importance of the regional political environment in democratic survival. The authors argue that the survival of democratic regimes is more likely when actors have strong normative preferences for democracy and show moderation in their political choices. The study uses a quantitative approach to determine how far ideas from qualitative literature can be generalized. The authors also highlight the importance of actors' normative preferences and political moderation in democratic survival. The study finds that democratic survival is more likely when actors have strong normative preferences for democracy and show moderation in their political choices. The evidence also shows that democratic regimes are less vulnerable to breakdown when the regional political environment contributes to the spread of democratic values locally. The study is based on the contributions of Guillermo O'Donnell, who emphasized that the level of development does not directly affect the survival of competitive regimes in Latin America. The authors also argue that the moderation or radicalism of actors has a significant impact on the survival or breakdown of competitive regimes. The study uses a classificationThe survival of democracy in Latin America (1945-2005) examines why democracies survive or collapse, focusing on Latin America between 1945 and 2005. The authors argue that structural variables such as development and inequality have not significantly impacted democratic survival in Latin America. Economic performance also did not have a major impact on the survival of competitive regimes, contrary to some literature. Instead, the focus is on the regional political environment, actors' normative preferences for democracy and dictatorship, and their political moderation or radicalism. The authors argue that: 1) higher economic development did not increase the likelihood of democratic survival in Latin America during this period; 2) if actors have a normative preference for democracy, it is more likely to survive; and 3) political moderation facilitates democratic survival. The study uses a quantitative approach to determine how far ideas from qualitative literature can be generalized. The authors also highlight the importance of actors' normative preferences and political moderation in democratic survival. The study finds that democratic survival is more likely when actors have strong normative preferences for democracy and show moderation in their political choices. The evidence also shows that democratic regimes are less vulnerable to breakdown when the regional political environment contributes to the spread of democratic values locally. The study is based on the contributions of Guillermo O'Donnell, who emphasized that the level of development does not directly affect the survival of competitive regimes in Latin America. The authors also argue that the moderation or radicalism of actors has a significant impact on the survival or breakdown of competitive regimes. The study uses a classification of political regimes in Latin America from 1945 to 2010, based on four dimensions of democracy: free and competitive elections, universal suffrage, protection of civil and political rights, and effective exercise of power. The study finds that democratic survival is more likely when actors have strong normative preferences for democracy and show moderation in their political choices. The study also highlights the importance of the regional political environment in democratic survival. The authors argue that the survival of democratic regimes is more likely when actors have strong normative preferences for democracy and show moderation in their political choices. The study uses a quantitative approach to determine how far ideas from qualitative literature can be generalized. The authors also highlight the importance of actors' normative preferences and political moderation in democratic survival. The study finds that democratic survival is more likely when actors have strong normative preferences for democracy and show moderation in their political choices. The evidence also shows that democratic regimes are less vulnerable to breakdown when the regional political environment contributes to the spread of democratic values locally. The study is based on the contributions of Guillermo O'Donnell, who emphasized that the level of development does not directly affect the survival of competitive regimes in Latin America. The authors also argue that the moderation or radicalism of actors has a significant impact on the survival or breakdown of competitive regimes. The study uses a classification