Central to Stotzky's analysis of Haitian politics is the relationship between the theory and practice of democracy. While theory plays an important role in trying to understand and resolve the difficulties in making the transition to democracy, Stotzky argues, it must be grounded in the real conditions of a country's society.

Stotzky demonstrates how Haiti's history of political corruption and its rigid class structure led not only to the bloody dictatorship that ruled the country from 1991 to 1994 but to its current dilemmas as well, including the exile of President Aristide, the negotiations and conflicts between the Aristide and United States governments, and the international effort to secure democracy.

Stotzky's analysis extends beyond Haiti's social, political, and economic infrastructure to troubling legal and moral issues, such as the question of how to treat those who committed egregious human rights violations under the military regime and the role of the international community in Haiti's transition process.

The path to democracy in Haiti is complicated by these questions, which are of primary importance for the Preval government as it attempts to alter Haitian society and inculcate in its citizens respect for the rule of law and the democratic process.

If Haiti is to escape the repetition of history, Stotzky ultimately contends, its governmental institutions must incorporate the goals of deliberative democracy to foster a moral consciousness among its people. The new system can take hold only if Haitian citizens come to respect the law rather than live in fear of it.

An unusual blend of political, historical, and moral concerns, Silencing the Guns in Haiti traces Haiti's halting quest for democracy from the perspective of someone who played a leading part in every stage of that process.