'Juan José Linz' (1926-) is
Sterling Professor Emeritus of
Political Science at
Yale University and an honorary member of the Scientific Council at the
Juan March Institute. He is best known for his theories on
totalitarian and
authoritarian systems of government. Linz has also done extensive research on the breakdowns of
democracy and the transition back to a democratic regime. He is the author of many works on the subject, including ''Problems of Democratic Transition and Consolidation: Southern Europe, South America, and Post-Communist Europe'' (Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, co-authored with
Alfred Stepan), his seminal work ''Totalitarian and Authoritarian Regimes'' (Rienner, 2000) and his influential essay 'The Perils of Presidentialism'.
From a description of ''Totalitarian and Authoritarian Regimes'':
:"In this classic work, noted political scientist Juan Linz provides an unparalleled study of the nature of nondemocratic regimes. Linz's seminal analysis develops the fundamental distinction between totalitarian and authoritarian systems. It also presents a path-breaking discussion on the personalistic, lawless, nonideological type of authoritarian rule that he calls (following
Max Weber) the 'sultanistic regime'."
Linz has received the
Prince of Asturias Award of Social Sciences (
1987) and the
Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science (
1996).
References
★ Linz, Juan J. ''Totalitarian and Authoritarian Regimes'', Rienner, 2000: 343.
★
"Yale > Political Science > Juan Linz", retrieved November 29, 2006
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"Juan Linz Online Archive of the Spanish Transition", retrieved January 21, 2007.