Synopses & Reviews
Ambition theory suggests that scholars can understand a good deal about politics by exploring politicians' career goals. In the US, an enormous literature explains congressional politics by assuming that politicians primarily desire to win reelection. In contrast, although Brazil's institutions appear to encourage incumbency, politicians do not seek to build a career within the legislature. Instead, political ambition focuses on the subnational level. Even while serving in the legislature, Brazilian legislators act strategically to further their future extra-legislative careers by serving as 'ambassadors' of subnational governments. Brazil's federal institutions also affect politicians' electoral prospects and career goals, heightening the importance of subnational interests in the lower chamber of the national legislature. Together, ambition and federalism help explain important dynamics of executive-legislative relations in Brazil. This book's rational-choice institutionalist perspective contributes to the literature on the importance of federalism and subnational politics to understanding national-level politics around the world.
Review
"Recommended."
Choice"[Makes] an original argument ... by combining a study of legislative politics with the study of federalism ... [Samuels] provides the reader with a well-articulated and fairly comprehensive tour of contemporary Brazilian politics."
The Americas
Synopsis
This book explores how political institutions and politiciansâcareer goals interact.
Synopsis
This book explores the interpretation of politicians' career goals. Members seek to win repeated reelection, in the U.S. House of Representatives and political scientists have assumed that reelection motivates politicians everywhere. However, politicians in Brazil see the national legislature as a stepping-stone to "higher" office, in state and/or local government. Making the right assumption about politicians' career goals results in a better understanding of the political processes. This book improves on previous "rational choice" analyses by researching political career objectives and exploring real-world implications.
Synopsis
In the US House of Representatives, members seek to win repeated re-election whereas politicians in Brazil see the national legislature as a stepping stone to âhigherâoffice, in state and local government. This book contributes to the literature on the importance of federalism and subnational politics to understanding national-level politics worldwide.
Table of Contents
List of tables and figures; Abbreviations and acronyms; Acknowledgments; Introduction; Part I: 1. Ambition theory and political careers in Brazil; 2. In the absence of congressional careerism: short stints, flat hierarchies and low payoffs in the chamber of deputies; 3. Progressive ambition and congressional âhot seatsâin Brazil, 1945 1998; 4. Labyrinths of power, Brazilian style: post-chamber political careers; Part II: 5. The 'Gubematorial coattails effect': federalism and congressional elections in Brazil; Part III: 6. On the political (in)efficacy of pork-barreling in the chamber of deputies; 7. Progressive ambition, federalism and pork-barreling in Brazil; 8. Institutions of their own design? democratization and fiscal decentralization in Brazil, 1975 1995; 9. The Cardoso administration and changes in Brazilian federalism; Conclusion; Appendices; References; Indexes.