Kellogg Institute Series on Democracy and Development
Presidents, Parties, and Legislatures in Peru and Beyond
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Kellogg Institute Series on Democracy and Development
Presidents, Parties, and Legislatures in Peru and Beyond
About This Book
In Power in the Balance: Presidents, Parties, and Legislatures in Peru and Beyond, Barry S. Levitt answers urgent questions about executive power in "new" democracies. He examines in rich detail the case of Peru, from President Alan GarcĂa's first term (1985â1990), to the erosion of democracy under President Alberto Fujimori (1990â2000), through the interim government of ValentĂn Paniagua (2000â2001) and the remarkable, if rocky, renewal of democracy culminating in Alejandro Toledo's 2001â2006 presidency. This turbulent experience with democracy brings into clear focus the functioning of formal political institutionsâconstitutions and electoral laws, presidents and legislatures, political parties and leadersâwhile also exposing the informal side of Peru's national politics over the course of two decades.
Levitt's study of politics in Peru also provides a test case for his regional analysis of cross-national differences and change over time in presidential power across eighteen Latin American countries. In Peru and throughout Latin America, Levitt shows, the rule of law itself and the organizational forms of political parties have a stronger impact on legislative-executive relations than do most of the institutional traits and constitutional powers that configure the formal "rules of the game" for high politics. His findings, and their implications for improving the quality of new democracies everywhere, will surprise promoters, practitioners, and scholars of democratic politics alike.
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Table of contents
- Cover
- Half title
- Series page
- Title page
- Copyright
- Dedication
- Contents
- Tables
- Figures
- Acknowledgments
- 1. Introduction
- 2. Beyond Formal Rules and Institutions
- 3. Constitutions and Constitutionalism in Peru,1985â2006
- 4. Party Organizations and Electoral Movements in Peru, 1985â 2006
- 5. Echo Chamber?
- 6. Institutionalism and Presidential Power in Latin America
- 7. Conclusion
- Data Appendix
- Notes
- References
- Interviews Conducted by the Author
- Index