Publication

This report analyzes the institutional and social components that shape the politics of reconstruction in Iraq. The paper chronicles the evolution of the Coalition Provisional Authority and the Governing Council, the dilemmas of dismantling the structures of state power consolidated under Saddam Hussein, the emergence of a vibrant civil society and the tensions inherent in a new political order. The author argues that understanding the legacy of Iraqi authoritarianism as well as the potential of new social forces is critical to developing policies that will foster a transition toward a stable democracy.