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Muslim states such as Turkey and Pakistan face a unique set of challenges in constructing consolidated democratic systems. In order to understand the prospects for democratic deepening in these two states we compare the interaction of liberal and illiberal institutions in each context. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In August of 2008 former General Pervez Musharraf resigned from his position as Pakistan’s President under calls for his impeachment. Why did Musharraf resign and what does this act signal for the future of democratic and military politics in Pakistan? From its inception in 1947 Pakistan has struggled between the twin impulses of democracy and authoritarianism. While religion may play a role in Pakistan’s political instability I do not believe that Pakistan’s reliance on authoritarianism can simply be explained as an outcome of the country’s religiosity. If Pakistan’s religious character is not the key to its unstable democracy then what is? I argue that a combination of military strength, civil institutional weakness, and international pressure, continues to place undue burden on Pakistan’s attempts to create a democratic state. Though Pakistan’s Islamic nature plays a role in destabilizing the state, through sectarian violence or external conflicts, it is the military that continues to intervene in democratic politics, not religious organizations. Through a historical analysis of political events I tease out the competing institutions within Pakistan that have either helped or hindered the establishment of democratic norms. ..PAT.-Unpublished Manuscript [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]