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The institutional impact of left-leaning populism in Latin America

Author

Listed:
  • Cachanosky, Nicolas
  • Bastos, João Pedro
  • Padilla, Alexandre
  • Hernández, Karla C.

Abstract

We study the institutional impact 21st-century left-leaning populist regimes have in Latin America. Looking at the iconic left-leaning populist regimes in Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador, Nicaragua, and Venezuela, we find that these types of populist regimes impose a significant deterioration on the liberal-democracy institutional quality of their countries. The institutional cost is significant and long-lasting, and our synthetic counterfactual suggests that liberal democratic institutions would have improved if not for these populist regimes.

Suggested Citation

  • Cachanosky, Nicolas & Bastos, João Pedro & Padilla, Alexandre & Hernández, Karla C., 2025. "The institutional impact of left-leaning populism in Latin America," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 86(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:poleco:v:86:y:2025:i:c:s0176268024001319
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpoleco.2024.102629
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Populism; Institutions; Latin America; Synthetic control method;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • P40 - Political Economy and Comparative Economic Systems - - Other Economic Systems - - - General
    • O54 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Latin America; Caribbean

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