Synopses & Reviews
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, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, 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 Brazil, Uruguay, and Venezuela. In order to understand why participatory democracy has succeeded better in some countries than in others, he examines the efforts in urban areas that have been undertaken in the cities of Porto Alegre, Montevideo, and Caracas. 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.
Review
“Goldfrank shows how participatory democracy's biggest challenges, including social inequality, bureaucratic inefficiency, and political rivalry, can be surmounted.”
—NACLA Report on the Americas
Review
“An incisive and thorough analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of experiences of participatory democracy in contemporary Latin America.”
—F. E. Panizza, The London School of Economics and Political Science
Synopsis
"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)"--Provided by publisher.
About the Author
Benjamin Goldfrank is Assistant Professor at the Whitehead School of Diplomacy and International Relations at Seton Hall University.
Table of Contents
ContentsList of Figures
List of Tables
Acknowledgments
List of Acronyms
Overview
1. Democracy, Participation, and Decentralization
2. A Tale of Three Cities
3. Caracas: Scarce Resources, Fierce Opposition, and Restrictive Design
4. Montevideo: From Rousing to Regulating Participation
5. Porto Alegre: Making Participatory Democracy Work
6. Stronger Citizens, Stronger State?
Conclusion: The Diffusion of Participatory Democracy and the Rise of the Left
Bibliography
Index