Transforming Settler States

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In the past two decades, several settler regimes have collapsed, while others appear increasingly vulnerable. This study examines the rise and demise of two settler states, focusing on the role of repressive institutions of law and order. Drawing on field research in Northern Ireland and Zimbabwe, Ronald Weitzer traces developments in internal security structures surrounding major political transitions. He concludes that a thorough transformation of a repressive security apparatus is essential for genuine democracy, yet often overlooked. Weitzer provides a comparative analysis of the divergent paths taken by initially similar governmental systems. Since gaining independence in 1980, Zimbabwe's government has retained and strengthened the legal and organizational machinery of control inherited from the white Rhodesian state, using it to eliminate obstacles to a one-party state. In contrast, while liberalization remains incomplete, the British government has successfully reformed key aspects of the old security system since the end of Protestant, Unionist rule in Northern Ireland in 1972. This study contributes to the scholarly literature on transitions from authoritarianism to democracy by emphasizing the critical role of police, military, and intelligence agencies in shaping political developments.