Political Science
Local democracy and popular participation in Chile and Brazil
Document Type
Article
Abstract
This article examines the factors that facilitate or impede the strengthening of popular participation in local democracy in Latin America through a comparative analysis of the Chilean and Brazilian cases. This comparative analysis illustrates the importance of structural reforms, the institutional configuration of local government and the role of political parties vis-à-vis civil society in either enhancing or impeding popular participation in local democracy. In short, it argues that popular participation will be strong and effective where structural reforms expand the resource base and policymaking authority of local leaders, local institutions strengthen accountability and facilitate citizen input in decision-making, and political parties attempt to organize and mobilize groups and constituents at the grass-roots. Where these conditions do not hold, the reverse will be true. These conclusions are drawn from analysis of the development of popular participation and local democracy in Porto Alegre, Brazil (a positive example) and Santiago, Chile (a negative example).
Publication Title
CEDLA Latin America Studies
Publication Date
2009
Volume
97
First Page
47
Last Page
74
ISSN
1572-6401
ISBN
9789004177833
DOI
10.1080/13510340312331293927
Keywords
Latin America, Chile, Brazil, local democracy
Repository Citation
Posner, Paul W., "Local democracy and popular participation in Chile and Brazil" (2009). Political Science. 71.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_political_science/71
