The Making of Policy: Institutionalized or Not?

59 Pages Posted: 20 Apr 2011

See all articles by Carlos Scartascini

Carlos Scartascini

Research Department - Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

Mariano Tommasi

Universidad de San Andres - Department of Economics

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: November 2009

Abstract

This paper develops a framework for analyzing different policymaking styles, their causes and their consequences in Latin America, finding that lower institutionalization and greater use of alternative political technologies (APTs) are more likely the lower the cost of using these technologies, the higher the potential damage they can cause, the lower the wealth of the economy, and the more asymmetric the distribution of de jure political power. Moreover, strategic complementarity exists in the use of alternative political technologies; for instance "bribes by the rich" and "protests by the poor" are likely to be countervailing forces, and will both occur in polities with weaker political institutions.

Suggested Citation

Scartascini, Carlos G. and Tommasi, Mariano, The Making of Policy: Institutionalized or Not? (November 2009). IDB Working Paper No. 24, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1815922 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1815922

Carlos G. Scartascini (Contact Author)

Research Department - Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) ( email )

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HOME PAGE: http://www.cscartascini.org

Mariano Tommasi

Universidad de San Andres - Department of Economics ( email )

Vito Dumas 284
Victoria, Buenos Aires B1644BID
Argentina
+5411-4725-7020 (Phone)

HOME PAGE: http://faculty.udesa.edu.ar/tommasi/index.htm

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