The Chain of Representation: Preferences, Institutions, and Policy Across Presidential Systems (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781108745413)

How do formal institutions affect the extent to which democracies adopt policies that reflect the preferences of their citizens? Based on a chain of representation model in which electoral rules and policy-making powers link citizens, politicians, and policies, this book reveals the conditions under which citizen preferences and implemented policies diverge. Comparative quantitative analyses encompassing eighteen Latin American countries show that presidential democracies vary greatly in the degree to which they demonstrate responsiveness to their electorates. Often, individual presidents with strong legislative powers have prompted policy changes that are unrepresentative of voter preferences. Other times, their interactions with legislatures result in more representative policies. Grounded in clear theory and thorough empirics, this study shows how rules can introduce dissonance between voters and politicians, but also how they can potentially reduce it. This is an excellent resource for scholars and graduate students interested in comparative politics, institutional design, economic policy, and Latin American studies.

Author: Brian F. Crisp, Santiago Olivella, Guillermo Rosas
ISBN-10: 1108745415
ISBN-13: 9781108745413
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Language: English
Published: 03/19/2020
Pages: 285
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.91lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.63d