Reform of the State: An Alternative for Change in Latin America

Democracy is a current struggle in several Latin American and Caribbean countries. Although a majority of citizens prefer democratic to authoritarian rule, indicators suggest support for democratic institutions is progressively deteriorating. From the mid-1980s onward, the problem of governability rose to prominence, and proposals to reform the state emerged. In this context, reform refers to profound political transformations that produce new institutions, new styles of leadership, and new social relations while eradicating existing ones. Conflict and confrontation result as structures associated with vested interests were dismantled and replaced by new structures that created new vested interests. Weakening states in Latin America are less and less able to deal with internal discontent. The gap between the demands placed on the state and its ability to address them explains the need for reform. In some countries, citizens have concluded that they neither want the democracy they have nor have the democracy they want.