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The Presidency and the Executive Branch in Latin America: What We Know and What We Need to Know

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  • Bonvecchi, Alejandro
  • Scartascini, Carlos

Abstract

The presidential politics literature depicts presidents either as all-powerful actors or figureheads and seeks to explain outcomes accordingly. The president and the executive branch are nonetheless usually treated as black boxes, particularly in developing countries, even though the presidency has evolved into an extremely complex branch of government. While these developments have been studied in the United States, far less is known in other countries, particularly in Latin America, where presidential systems have been considered the source of all goods and evils. To help close the knowledge gap and explore differences in policymaking characteristics not only between Latin America and the US but also across Latin American countries, this paper summarizes the vast literature on the organization and resources of the Executive Branch in the Americas and sets a research agenda for the study of Latin American presidencies.

Suggested Citation

  • Bonvecchi, Alejandro & Scartascini, Carlos, 2011. "The Presidency and the Executive Branch in Latin America: What We Know and What We Need to Know," IDB Publications (Working Papers) 3959, Inter-American Development Bank.
    • Handle: RePEc:idb:brikps:3959
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Arturo Galindo & Carlos Scartascini & J. Mark Payne & Robert Daughters & Alberto Melo & Koldo Echebarría & Eduardo Lora & Gabriel Filc & Alejandro Micco & Alberto E. Chong & Ugo Panizza & Juan Benavid, 2007. "The State of State Reform in Latin America," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 59578 edited by Eduardo Lora, February.
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    4. Scartascini, Carlos & Stein, Ernesto H. & Tommasi, Mariano & Jones, Mark P. & Saiegh, Sebastián & Magaldi de Sousa, Mariana & Martínez-Gallardo, Cecilia & Zuvanic, Laura & Iacoviello, Mercedes & Rodrí, 2010. "How Democracy Works: Political Institutions, Actors and Arenas in Latin American Policymaking," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 298.
    5. George, Alexander L., 1972. "The Case for Multiple Advocacy in Making Foreign Policy," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 66(3), pages 751-785, September.
    6. Weingast, Barry R & Marshall, William J, 1988. "The Industrial Organization of Congress; or, Why Legislatures, Like Firms, Are Not Organized as Markets," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 96(1), pages 132-163, February.
    7. Galindo, Arturo & Scartascini, Carlos & Payne, J. Mark & Daughters, Robert & Melo, Alberto & Echebarría, Koldo & Lora, Eduardo & Filc, Gabriel & Micco, Alejandro & Chong, Alberto E. & Panizza, Ugo & B, 2007. "The State of State Reform in Latin America," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 352.
    8. Shugart,Matthew Soberg & Carey,John M., 1992. "Presidents and Assemblies," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521429900.
    9. Mariano Tommasi & Sebastian Saiegh & Pablo Sanguinetti, 2001. "Fiscal Federalism in Argentina: Policies, Politics, and Institutional Reform," Economía Journal, The Latin American and Caribbean Economic Association - LACEA, vol. 0(Spring 20), pages 157-212, January.
    10. Verónica Montecinos & John Markoff & María José Álvarez-Rivadulla, 2009. "Economists in the Americas: convergence, divergence and connection," Chapters, in: Veronica Montecinos & John Markoff (ed.), Economists in the Americas, chapter 1, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    11. Shugart,Matthew Soberg & Carey,John M., 1992. "Presidents and Assemblies," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521419628.
    12. Neustadt, Richard E., 1954. "Presidency and Legislation: The Growth of Central Clearance," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 48(3), pages 641-671, September.
    13. repec:idb:brikps:34665 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. repec:idb:brikps:59578 is not listed on IDEAS
    15. Carlos Scartascini & Ernesto H. Stein & Mariano Tommasi & Mark P. Jones & Sebastián Saiegh & Mariana Magaldi de Sousa & Cecilia Martínez-Gallardo & Laura Zuvanic & Mercedes Iacoviello & Ana Laura Rodr, 2010. "How Democracy Works: Political Institutions, Actors and Arenas in Latin American Policymaking," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 34665 edited by Carlos Scartascini & Ernesto H. Stein & Mariano Tommasi, February.
    16. Editors The, 2008. "From the Editors," Basic Income Studies, De Gruyter, vol. 2(2), pages 1-3, January.
    17. Weingast, Barry R & Shepsle, Kenneth A & Johnsen, Christopher, 1981. "The Political Economy of Benefits and Costs: A Neoclassical Approach to Distributive Politics," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 89(4), pages 642-664, August.
    18. Carlos Scartascini & Ernesto H. Stein & Emmanuel Abuelafia & Sergio Berensztein & Miguel Braun & Luciano Di Gresia & Lee J. Alston & Marcus André Melo & Bernardo Mueller & Carlos Pereira & Mauricio Cá, 2009. "Who Decides the Budget? A Political Economy Analysis of the Budget Process in Latin America," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 87294 edited by Mark Hallerberg & Carlos Scartascini & Ernesto H. Stein, February.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    executive power; presidents; budget process; civil service;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D73 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Bureaucracy; Administrative Processes in Public Organizations; Corruption
    • D78 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Positive Analysis of Policy Formulation and Implementation
    • H00 - Public Economics - - General - - - General

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