Social Policies and institutional weakness

Abstract

Latin American and Brazilian debates concerning the Welfare State ought to consider the specific characteristics that brutally distinguish it from similar systems in other societies. This leads us to the institutional question. The classic thesis on institutional weakness has always been the determining factor in the development and implementation of public policy. Among other factors, this weakness is responsible for the chronic ineffectiveness of the State in carrying out policy. Even though the classic literature on this theme focusses on institutional weakness within political parties, in this study I wish to emphasize the role of traditional forms of authority, whose origins can be traced back to the figure of the coronel and caudillo. These figures historically made up the power networks that took over the functions of mediating and channeling social demands. By legitimating themselves in this role, they hindered not only the formation of institutions like political parties, but also other ypes of horizontal solidarities. Among the consequences of this are the oligarchization of public domains, especially those that define, formulate and implement public policies. This leads to the rejection of more participative forms of policy making.