Synopses & Reviews
The advance of democracy in Latin America over the past quarter century has contributed significantly to ensuring respect for fundamental political freedoms, civil liberties, and human rights.
Democracies in Development highlights how an effective democracy is also essential for sustainable economic and social development. The book analyzes the effects of institutions on the functioning of democratic systems, identifies regional trends in political reform, assesses the value of reforms in contributing to enhanced democratic governance, and offers conclusions about the types of reforms that may hold promise for strengthening democracy.
Appendices in the book's accompanying CD-ROM outline the institutional makeup of the region's democratic systems, examine voter turnout in presidential and legislative elections from 1978 to 2004, and present election results over the same period.
Synopsis
The advance of democracy in Latin America over the past quarter century has contributed significantly to ensuring respect for fundamental political freedoms, civil liberties, and human rights. "Democracies in Development" highlights how an effective democracy is also essential for sustainable economic and social development. The book analyzes the effects of institutions on the functioning of democratic systems, identifies regional trends in political reform, assesses the value of reforms in contributing to enhanced democratic governance, and offers conclusions about the types of reforms that may hold promise for strengthening democracy.
Appendices in the book's accompanying CD-ROM outline the institutional makeup of the region's democratic systems, examine voter turnout in presidential and legislative elections from 1978 to 2004, and present election results over the same period.
Synopsis
elections from 1978 to 2004, and present election results over the same period.
About the Author
?Mark Payne is Social Development Specialist, State, Governance and Civil Society Division, Sustainable Development Department at the Inter-American Development Bank.?Daniel Zovatto is Head of the Latin America Programme at the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance.Mercedes Mateo Díaz is Research Fellow, State, Governance and Civil Society Division, Sustainable Development Department at the Inter-American Development Bank.
Chilean National Congress
Table of Contents
Foreword
Acknowledgments
Preface
Chapter 1. The Role of the State and Politics in Latin American Development (1950-2005)
Part I: Institutions and Democracy (I): Election Rules and Regime Design
Chapter 2. The Effects of Presidential Election Systems on Democratic Governability
Chapter 3. Legislative Electoral Systems and Democratic Governability
Chapter 4. Balancing Executive and Legislative Prerogatives: The Role of Constitutional and Party-Based Factors
Chapter 5. Institutions of Democratic Accountability in Latin America: Legal Design versus Actual Performance
Part II: Institutions and Democracy (II): Political Parties
Chapter 6. Party Systems and Democratic Governability
Chapter 7. Intraparty Democratic Processes and the Financing of Political Parties
Part III: Citizen Participation and Democracy
Chapter 8. Direct Democracy Institutions
Chapter 9. Trends in Electoral Participation
Chapter 10. Gauging Public Support for Democracy
Conclusions: Trends in Democratic Reform in Latin America
About the Authors
Index