Abstract

ABENTE BRUN, Diego. The quality of democracy in Paraguay: causes and challenges. Acad. (Asunción) [online]. 2025, vol.12, n.3, e1279.  Epub Sep 12, 2025. ISSN 2414-8938.  https://doi.org/10.30545/academo.2025.n3.1279.

This article analyzes the causes of low democratic quality in Paraguay, a topic that has received limited scholarly attention despite its significance. Using a theoretical framework that distinguishes between the nature of democracy and its quality, the study focuses on three key dimensions: public support for democracy, the quality of governance, and socioeconomic performance. Drawing on data from Latinobarómetro, LAPOP, and The Economist Intelligence Unit, the analysis reveals persistent public dissatisfaction, deficiencies in governance indicators, and poor socioeconomic outcomes. The study identifies three main explanatory factors: Paraguay’s socioeconomic structure, which has produced a fragmented and “invertebrate” society lacking collective actors; the pervasive influence of clientelist political parties; and low levels of social capital. While these structural constraints limit the prospects for improvement and hinder significant progress in the short term, the article argues that there remains potential for transformative collective action, which could create opportunities for strengthening democracy in the future.

Keywords : Democracy; quality; Paraguay.

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