1. AMANDA BENEDICT POLS 557 Argentina: Overcoming Presidentialism

2. http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/26516.htm

3. Important Historical Information 1880-1930- economically prosperous Great Depression, less stable governments Military coup 1943  Juan Domingo Peron and Evita and Populism 1946 1995 Peron exiled by military, 1950s and 60s military and civilian governments, dealt with slow economic growth and social and labor demands 1973 general elections- Dr. Hector Campora Peron returns October 1973 Military Junta in 1976- 1983, “Dirty War” Democracy in 1983,Alfonsin, Radical Civic Union 1989 elections Menem 1999 Fernando De la Rua (UCR) 2002- Eduardo Duhalde (PJ) 2003- Nestor Kirchner 2007- Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner (PJ)

4. Paper Examines Political institutions  Political institutions are formal rules, procedures, and forms of organization. Rule of law Political culture Civil society Economic situation

5. What School of Thought? Institutionalism Why?

6. George Philips (1996) The point is simply that Latin American elites have so far been more successful at holding elections than at creating state institutions which work well. This situation holds out the permanent threat of state failure. Threat from three sources:  Globalization made capitalism stronger, accentuated inequalities  Resentment from losing out in this process  Weak and “patrimonially structured” society- who you know means more than citizen’s right to be treated equally

7. Democratization Studies First generation: transitions- collapse of dictatorships and nascent democracies Second generation: issues of consolidation- probabilities that nascent democracies will survive Third generation: quality of democracy Mazzuca, Sebastian, L. “Access to Power Versus Exercise of Power Reconceptualizing the Quality of Democracy in Latin America”p 335

8. Democracy Schumpeter- free and fair elections Dahl- polyarchy  Constitutional authority  Free and fair elections  Free suffrage  Free competition for office  Free expression  Access to information  Civic association  Schmitter and Karl added:  No undue, unelected influences  Political sovereignty

9. Problems with Polyarchy applied to Democratization Addresses first and second generation: transitions and consolidation. NOT quality of democracy Guillermo O’Donnell

10. Democratic Regime versus Democratic State Democratic Regime is equivalent to Dahl’s polyarchy Democratic State is the sum of the attributes included in a democratic regime plus two extra attributes  “horizontal accountability”: effective checks and balances, Horizontal accountability is control exerted “from the side” by other branches of government.  “formal institutionalization”: means the elimination of political practices that—like clientelism, nepotism, or corruption—involve abuses of political power that result in discriminatory treatment of the population excluded from the networks of favors Mazzuca, Sebastian, L. “Access to Power Versus Exercise of Power Reconceptualizing the Quality of Democracy in Latin America” 338

11. Vertical Accountability vs Horizontal Accountability Vertical- bottom up ie elections Horizontal- from the side by other branches of government, ie checks and balances

12. Access to Power versus Exercise of Power Access:  Democratization is the change from authoritarianism to democracy Exercise:  transitions away from patrimonialism can be conceptualized in terms of a process of bureaucratization rather than democratization.

13. A/E Framework Mazzuca, Sebastian, L. “Access to Power Versus Exercise of Power Reconceptualizing the Quality of Democracy in Latin America” 344

14. Support for Democracy http://www.latinobarometro.org/latino/LATAnalizeQuestion.jsp

15. Satisfaction with Democracy http://www.latinobarometro.org/latino/LATAnalizeQuestion.jsp

16. Confidence in Political Parties http://www.latinobarometro.org/latino/LATAnalizeQuestion.jsp

17. Confidence in Government http://www.latinobarometro.org/latino/LATAnalizeQuestion.jsp

18. Hyperpresidentialism Strong presidentialist nature of government structure O’Donnell- delegative democracy  Legislatures concede enormous powers to executive branch  Elections become instrument for executives to acquire near dictatorial powers beyond the control of legislatures, states, and bureaucracies Constitutional designs  Affects ability of leaders to forge coalitions in legislatures,  Of judicial and legislative branches to check programs of the executive  Of people to hold elected officials accountable. Hellinger, 430

19. Presidentialism in Argentina Emphasized development of most legislation and policy in the executive branch Under military regimes, incorporated powers of congress and of the judiciary Under democratic regimes, initiative in legislative and judicial matters remained within presidential prerogatives

20. 1994 Constitutional Reforms Direct election of president and vice president 4 year terms of office and reelection for presidents Direct election of senators Third senator from each province Six year terms not nine for senators Creation of prime minister post Congress can appoint and remove supreme court justices Circumscribing use of presidential decrees Created auditor general’s office and public ombudsman Citizen-initiated referenda and initiatives

21. Conclusion Strengthen the legislative and judicial branches. Have the 1994 Reforms be more than just on paper

22. Helpful Articles and Books Mazzuca, Sebastian L. “Access to Power Versus Exercise of Power Reconceptualizing the Quality of Democracy in Latin America”. Studies in Comparative International Development. 2010 Hellinger, Daniel C. Comparative Politics of Latin America. 2011 Grindle, Merilee. Audacious Reforms: Institutional Invention and Democracy in Latin America. 2000 Notes from Comparative Politics, Dr. Shirk’s course. Sp. 2011