In this Book
- Power in the Balance: Presidents, Parties, and Legislatures in Peru and Beyond
- Book
- 2012
- Published by: University of Notre Dame Press
summary
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 García’s first term (1985–1990), to the erosion of democracy under President Alberto Fujimori (1990–2000), through the interim government of Valentín Paniagua (2000–2001) and the remarkable, if rocky, renewal of democracy culminating in Alejandro Toledo's 2001–2006 presidency. This turbulent experience with democracy brings into clear focus the functioning of formal political institutions—constitutions and electoral laws, presidents and legislatures, political parties and leaders—while 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.
Table of Contents
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- Acknowledgments
- pp. xiii-xv
- 1. Introduction: On Power
- pp. 1-25
- 7. Conclusion: On Balance
- pp. 233-254
- Data Appendix
- pp. 255-258
- References
- pp. 279-308
- Interviews Conducted by the Author
- pp. 309-313
Additional Information
ISBN
9780268085797
Related ISBN(s)
9780268034139
MARC Record
OCLC
797816805
Pages
344
Launched on MUSE
2012-06-26
Language
English
Open Access
No