Synopses & Reviews
This theoretically inspired study explores legislative politics in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. Instead of beginning with an assumption that these legislatures are either rubber-stamps or obstructionist bodies, the chapters provide new data and a fresh analytical approach to describe and explain the role of these representative bodies in these consolidating democracies. For each country the book provides three chapters dedicated, in turn, to executive-legislative relations, the legislatures' organizational structure, and the policy process.
Review
"This work represents the best of edited volumes in the field, combining a sophisticated array of empirically grounded case studies by country experts within a tightly elaborated theoretical framework." Latin American Research Review"Morgenstern and Nacif have brought together diverse Latin American specialists to examine the changing roles of legislatures in Latin America as the process of democratization has swept the region in recent decades.... Morgenstern and Nacif have produced a valuable, effectively structured study, employing theory and case studies to support their thesis. This work belongs in all academic libraries with Latin America collections, primarily for researchers and graduate students as the process of democratization continues to deepen and change the dynamics of Latin American politics." Choice"This work belongs in all academic libraries with Latin America collections, primarily for researchers and graduate students as the process of democratization continues to deepen and change the dynamics of Latin American politics." Choice"Scott Morgenstern and Benito Nacif's edited book makes a major contribution to the comparative study of legislatures...[Their] book does an excellent job of laying out a theory of how party, electoral, and executive institutions and the political career ambitions of deputies produce different modes of executive-legislative relations. In so doing they have moved forward the comparative study of legislatures. They also contribute in a rigorous, analytical, data-rich fashion to our understanding of how institutions influence democratic consolidation and the conditions under which the 'perils of presidentialism' are likely to obtain." Perspectives on Politics
Synopsis
This study explores legislative politics in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico.
Description
Includes bibliographical references (p. ) and index.
Table of Contents
Tables and figures; Contributors; preface and acknowledgements; Party names and other acronyms and abbreviations; 1. Towards a model of Latin American legislatures Scott Morgenstern; Part I. Executive-Legislative Relations: 2. Oscillating relations: president and congress in Argentina Anna María Mustapic; 3. Presidential cabinets, electoral cycles and coalition discipline in Brazil Octavio Amorim Neto; 4. Exaggerated presidentialism and moderate presidents: executive-legislative relations in Chile Peter M. Siavelis; 5. Executive-legislative relations: the case of Mexico (1946-1997) Ma. Amparo Casar; Part II. Political Parties and Legislative Structure: 6. Explaining the high level of party discipline in the Argentine congress Mark P. Jones; 7. Party discipline in the chamber of deputies Barry Ames; 8. Parties, coalitions and the Chilean congress in the 1990s John M. Carey; 9. Understanding party discipline in the Mexican chamber of deputies: the centralized party model Benito Nacif; Part III. Legislatures and the Policy Process: 10. Fiscal policy making in the Argentine legislature Kent H. Eaton; 11. Progressive ambition, federalism and pork-barreling in Brazil David Samuels; 12. Appointment, re-election and autonomy in the senate of Chile John Londregan; 13. The legal and partisan framework of the legislative delegation of the budget in Mexico Jeffrey A. Weldon; Part IV. Conclusions: 14. Explaining legislative politics in Latin America Scott Morgenstern; 15. Epilogue: Latin America's reactive assemblies and proactive presidents Gary W. Cox and Scott Morgenstern; References; Author index; General index.