Political Science

Local democracy and popular participation: Chile and Brazil in comparative perspective

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 policy-making 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

Democratization

Publication Date

9-2003

Volume

10

Issue

3

First Page

39

Last Page

67

ISSN

1351-0347

DOI

10.1080/13510340312331293927

Keywords

Brazil, Chile, Latin American politics, democracy, Porto Alegre, Santiago

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