Deepening Local Democracy in Latin America - Participation, Decentralization, and the Left

The resurgence of the Left in Latin America over the past decade has been so notable that it has been called the Pink Tide. In recent years regimes with leftist leaders have risen to power in Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Brazil, Ecuador, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Uruguay, and Venezuela. What does this trend portend for the deepening of democracy in the region? Benjamin Goldfrank has been studying the development of participatory democracy in Latin America for many years, and this book represents the culmination of his empirical investigations in three countries: Brazil, Uruguay, and Venezuela. He examines the various efforts in urban areas that have been undertaken in Porte Alegre, Montevideo, and Caracas in order to understand why they have succeeded more in some cities than in others. His findings suggest that success is related most crucially to how nationally centralized political authority is and how strongly institutionalized the opposition parties are in the local arenas.

About the author

Benjamin Goldfrank is Assistant Professor at the Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University.

Summary

Addresses the question of why institutions meant to attract citizen participation succeed in strengthening civil society and improving state responsiveness and transparency in some places, but fail in others. Focuses on urban politics in Porto Alegre (Brazil), Montevideo (Uruguay), and Caracas (Venezuela).

Product details

• Authors: Banjamin Goldfrank, Benjamin Goldfrank, Benjamin (Assistant Professor Goldfrank, Goldfrank Benjamin
• Publisher: University Presses
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 04.03.2011
• EAN: 9780271037943
• ISBN: 978-0-271-03794-3
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 229 mm x 28 mm
• Weight: 567 g
• Illustrations: Schaubilder
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Comparative and international political science; Political Parties, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Process / Political Parties, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Process / Political Advocacy, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Political Ideologies / Democracy, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Comparative Politics, HISTORY / Latin America / South America, Political activism, Political structures: democracy, Comparative Politics, History of the Americas