Electoral democracy can persist amid rampant police and gang violence

Evidence

Despite violent struggle, however, Jamaica’s political parties continue to mobilize their followers, to respect election results, and to succeed each other in power. Widespread election violence, rampant gangs, corrupt courts, and abusive police combine to make Jamaica a very troubled democracy. — Charles Tilly, Regimes and Repertoires, 518

Categorization

• QUESTION: This undercuts a simple reading where rule-of-law and democracy must co-vary — weakens any assumption that democratic form alone channels or defuses contention.
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Charles Tilly, Regimes and Repertoires, 518
• XREF: connects to: Drug-based gang violence can threaten an established democracy’s future — Charles Tilly, Regimes and Repertoires, 402; High-capacity flawed democracies absorb electoral change without major violence — Charles Tilly, Regimes and Repertoires, 527; Rare violence in high-capacity democracies is politically magnified precisely because it is rare — Charles Tilly, Regimes and Repertoires, 767 (+2 more)

Broader Connections

• Drug-based gang violence can threaten an established democracy’s future #complicates (0.82) — Charles Tilly, Regimes and Repertoires, 402
• High-capacity flawed democracies absorb electoral change without major violence #qualifies (0.78) — Charles Tilly, Regimes and Repertoires, 527
• Contentious violence against minorities can yield major electoral gains for the aggressors’ party. #complicates (0.75) — Charles Tilly, Regimes and Repertoires, 1334
• Rare violence in high-capacity democracies is politically magnified precisely because it is rare #qualifies (0.74) — Charles Tilly, Regimes and Repertoires, 767
• In mature democracies contention turns nonviolent unless state agents block it #complicates (0.74) — Charles Tilly, Regimes and Repertoires, 428