TY - GEN T1 - Politician's dilemma : building state capacity in Latin America T2 - California series on social choice and political economy ; A1 - Geddes, Barbara LA - English PP - Berkeley PB - University of California Press YR - 1994 UL - https://ebooks.jgu.edu.in/Record/jstor_eba_ocm44954678 AB - In Latin America as elsewhere, politicians routinely face a painful dilemma: whether to use state resources for national purposes, especially those that foster economic development, or to channel resources to people and projects that will help insure political survival and reelection. While politicians may believe that a competent state bureaucracy is intrinsic to the national good, political realities invariably tempt leaders to reward powerful clients and constituents, undermining long-term competence. Politician's Dilemma explores the ways in which political actors deal with these contradictory pressures and asks the question: when will leaders support reforms that increase state capacity and that establish a more meritocratic and technically competent bureaucracy? Barbara Geddes brings rational choice theory to her study of Brazil between 1930 and 1964 and shows how state agencies are made more effective when they are protected from partisan pressures and operate through merit-based recruitment and promotion strategies. Looking at administrative reform movements in other Latin American democracies, she traces the incentives offered politicians to either help or hinder the process. In its balanced insight, wealth of detail, and analytical rigor, Politician's Dilemma provides a powerful key to understanding the conflicts inherent in Latin American politics, and to unlocking possibilities for real political change. OP - 246 CN - JL958 .G44 1994eb SN - 9780520918665 SN - 0520918665 SN - 0585098328 SN - 9780585098326 SN - 0520072502 SN - 0520207629 KW - Latin America : Politics and government : 20th century. KW - Bureaucracy : Latin America : History : 20th century. KW - Civil service reform : Latin America : History : 20th century. KW - Amérique latine : Politique et gouvernement : 20e siècle. KW - Bureaucratie : Amérique latine : Histoire : 20e siècle. KW - Fonction publique : Réforme : Amérique latine : Histoire : 20e siècle. KW - POLITICAL SCIENCE : Public Affairs & Administration. KW - POLITICAL SCIENCE : Government : Executive Branch. KW - HISTORY / Latin America / General KW - Bureaucracy KW - Civil service reform KW - Politics and government KW - Latin America KW - Politisches System KW - Verwaltungsreform KW - Lateinamerika KW - Politica (america latina) KW - Burocracia. KW - 1900-1999 KW - administrative reform movements. KW - analytical. KW - channel resources to people and projects. KW - detailed. KW - insure political survival and reelection. KW - latin american politics. KW - political actors and contradictory pressures. KW - possibilities for real political change. KW - rational choice theory. KW - state resources for national purposes. KW - study of politics in brazil. KW - History ER -