Regional Authority in Latin America: An Analysis of 27 Countries (1950-2010)

Abstract

This paper presents a new dataset on regional authority in 27 Latin American and Caribbean countries for 1950 to 2010 based on the Regional Authority Index (RAI). For the first time, levels of regional authority can be directly compared over time and across the region. We explain the conceptualization, operationalization, and coding of regional authority. Our study offers an assessment of regional authority under authoritarian rule and evaluates unwritten as well as written norms. We present substantive observations about the variation across countries and over time and discuss the implications and challenges of expanding the RAI to the Latin American and Caribbean context. We conclude by considering avenues for future research and opportunities for cross-national comparison.

Keywords: multilevel governance, decentralization, democracy, Latin America, measurement