The Changing Role Of The State In Latin America

Download or read book The Changing Role Of The State In Latin America written by Menno Vellinga and published by Westview Press. This book was released on 1998 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the 1930s the state has played a primary role in the development process of most Latin American countries, and political systems have had strong corporatist and authoritarian-centralist features. In the last several years, as that role has become increasingly incompatible with neoliberal reforms and the requirements of a transition to democracy, state power has been significantly decentralized, and the state has withdrawn from direct intervention in the economy. This book examines the consequences of the redefinition of the state for processes of democratization and state–civil society relations, looking, for example, at transfers of power to local and regional authorities, the role of NGOs and other interest groups in policymaking, the emergence of new social movements, and privatization and the introduction of market criteria. Several country case studies are also included.