Table of Contents. List of Tables and Figures Acknowledgments Chapter One. Introduction: The Challenge of Democratic Consolidation Part One. Theory Chapter Two. Central Bank Autonomy: A Redistributive Perspective Chapter Three. Preemptive Strike: Central Bank Autonomy in the Transition from Authoritarian Rule Part Two. Empirics Chapter Four. Authoritarians under Siege: Chile's Democratic Rebirth Chapter Five. Imminent Threat, Ironclad Response: The 1989 Chilean Central Bank Reform Chapter Six. Technocracy under Threat: Mexico's Democratic Awakening Chapter Seven. Ambiguous Threat, Ambivalent Response: The 1993 Mexican Central Bank Reform Chapter Eight. Central Bank Reform in Comparative Perspective Part Three. Conclusions Chapter Nine. Democratic Consolidation and Institutional Theory: Broadening the Debate References