This study investigates the structural conditions within multi-ethnic societies that lead to democratic instability and the frequent eruption of inter-ethnic hostility. Authors Alvin Rabushka and Kenneth A. Shepsle, both distinguished scholars in political science, utilize a rational choice framework to model political competition in pluralistic environments. By analyzing the incentives for political elites in divided societies, they argue that democratic institutions often fail to mitigate conflict, frequently exacerbating tensions instead. The work provides a rigorous theoretical foundation for understanding why power struggles in these nations often devolve into violence.

This work is regarded as a foundational text in comparative politics, noted for its enduring theoretical framework regarding the fragility of democracy in divided societies. The inclusion of a new epilogue in this edition reinforces the relevance of the authors' original arguments when applied to contemporary geopolitical conflicts.