ABSTRACT: The prevailing account for the origins of ruling parties treats social upheaval as the
crucible of strong institutions. Comparing Egypt, Iran, Malaysia, and the Philippines, this article
proposes an alternative explanation based on the early resolution of elite conflict. The
establishment of internally cohesive party organizations in Egypt and Malaysia depended on
leaders defeating rivals who advocated a more inclusive political system. Iran and the Philippines
further demonstrate the significance of such founding struggles. The persistence of elite
factionalism in Iran and the Philippines undermined party development and impaired regime
consolidation. These patterns indicate Rustow’s argument about “hot family feuds” and
democratization may also apply, in modified form, to the emergence of certain authoritarian
regimes.
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