The Unfulfilled Promise of Subnational Citizen Participation in Peru, Guatemala, and Bolivia

• In Event: Citizen participation in subnational governments in Latin America

Abstract

Can nationally elected officials effectively improve democracy and governance in the developing world by mandating citizen participation? This paper explores nature and effect of nationally mandated participatory reforms in three Latin American countries: Peru, Guatemala, and Bolivia. It is based on the author’s forthcoming book (May 2019) that documents the origin, spread, and effects of these reform efforts around the world. The analysis demonstrates that, although they do effectively engage more citizens in public policy decisions around the world, the reforms are not attacking the persistent problems of discrimination, elite capture, clientelism, and corruption. To better understand the limited effects, the paper presents a theory of participatory governance that explains what factors condition their effective implementation. As such, the paper makes important contributions to our understanding of democracy, governance, citizen participation, and institutional reform in the developing world.

Author

• Stephanie L McNulty, Franklin and Marshall College