Democratic Consolidation in Latin America

1
Democratic Consolidation in Latin America
2

• Why do you think the number of military coups and
  regimes has declined in Latin America?

3
Summary of previous class

• The gap between formal recognition of political
  and civil rights and the actual implementation
  and practice of these rights
• Accountability is what links these two levels

4
Differences between Latin America and postwar
Western Europe

• Postwar Western Europe
• Low expectations
• Marshall Plan
• Economic growth
• Changed class relations
• Barriers to military intervention

• 1980s Latin America
• High expectations
• Outflow of capital
• Economic crisis
• Continuity of class relations
• Guardian democracies

5
Small group discussions

• What are the characteristics of Delegative
  Democracy?
• (How does it differ from representative
  democracy?)
• -institutions
• -horizontal versus vertical accountability
• -leaders

6
Corruption(The failure of accountability)

• Corruption and economic development
• Correlation between economic development and
  lower corruption
• Correlation between high inequality and
  corruption
• BUT importance of state capacity and
  institutions.
• Levels
• Elites politicians, business, military. E.g.
  neopopulist leaders
• Street level Civil servants, police.

7
Corruption in Latin America

• Democratization. What does Weyland say?
• Neopopulism. What is it and how does it foster
  corruption?
• Increasing number of scandals. Sign of progress?
  
• How to reform corrupt practices?
• Enhance separation of powers
• Reforms in specific branches (exec/legisl/judiciar
  y)
• Creation of watchdog institutions
• Role of civil society and the media
• Role of international actors