The Policymaking Capacity of Foreign Ministries in Presidential Regimes: A Study of Argentina, Brazil and Mexico (1946-2015)

Abstract

This article investigates the sources of foreign ministries’ policymaking capacity in presidential regimes. Using a family resemblance concept structure, we argue that professionalization of the diplomatic corps is a necessary condition while the institutional attributions of the ministry and the degree of presidential delegation are also relevant but substitutable elements. The higher the scores on the two latter dimensions, the stronger the capacity of the foreign ministry to influence the chief executive and contest other players’ policy preferences. To empirically validate our concept, we measure the three dimensions in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico between 1946 and 2015 using data on diplomats’ recruitment and career paths, influence of diplomatic schools and doctrines, appointment patterns of foreign ministers, and relevance of presidential diplomacy with an emphasis on travels abroad. Our analysis indicates that today Argentina, Brazil and Mexico enjoy a high level of professionalization of their diplomatic corps; however, differences – both across countries and over time – remain as regards institutional attributions and presidential delegation.

Keywords: Foreign Ministries, Concept Formation, Foreign Policy, Presidential Diplomacy, Latin America