Diminished Parties
Democratic Representation in Contemporary Latin America

This book critiques the conventional definition of a political party and assesses parties' role in contemporary democracies.

Juan Pablo Luna (Edited by), Rafael Piñeiro Rodríguez (Edited by), Fernando Rosenblatt (Edited by), Gabriel Vommaro (Edited by)

9781316513187, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 16 December 2021

380 pages
23.6 x 15.8 x 2.8 cm, 0.708 kg

Many contemporary party organizations are failing to fulfill their representational role in contemporary democracies. While political scientists tend to rely on a minimalist definition of political parties (groups of candidates that compete in elections), this volume argues that this misses how parties can differ not only in degree but also in kind. With a new typology of political parties, the authors provide a new analytical tool to address the role of political parties in democratic functioning and political representation. The empirical chapters apply the conceptual framework to analyze seventeen parties across Latin America. The authors are established scholars expert in comparative politics and in the cases included in the volume. The book sets an agenda for future research on parties and representation, and it will appeal to those concerned with the challenges of consolidating stable and programmatic party systems in developing democracies.

1. Introduction Juan Pablo Luna, Rafael Piñeiro Rodríguez, Fernando Rosenblatt and Gabriel Vommaro
2. The Case of Uruguay's Frente Amplio Verónica Pérez Bentancur, Rafael Piñeiro Rodríguez and Fernando Rosenblatt
3. Horizontal coordination and vertical aggregation mechanisms of the PRO in Argentina and its subnational variations Gabriel Vommaro
4. Bolivia's Movement Toward Socialism (MAS): A Political Party Based on and Anchored in Social Movements Santiago Anria
5. The complex interaction between vertical interest aggregation and horizontal coordination: The PRD and MORENA in Mexico Hélène Combes
6. PLN and PAC: Two Costa Rican parties with evolving constituencies in opposite directions Ronald Alfaro-Redondo and Steffan Gómez-Campos
7. The Case of the Traditional Parties in Paraguay Diego Abente Brun
8. The Colombian Liberal Party and Conservative Party: From Political Parties to Diminished Subtypes Laura Wills-Otero, Bibiana Ortega and Viviana Sarmiento
9. 'Normal' Parties in Extraordinary Times: The Case of Primero Justicia and Voluntad Popular in Venezuela Jennifer Cyr
10. Diminished by Design: Ecuador's Alianza PAIS Catherine M. Conaghan
11. The Chilean PPD: A Loose Confederation of Leaders Rafael Piñeiro Rodríguez, Fernando Rosenblatt and Sergio Toro Maureira
12. Fujimorismo and the Limits of Democratic Representation in Peru Alberto Vergara and María Claudia Augusto
13. The Unidad Nacional de la Esperanza: Guatemala's Only True Political Party? Omar Sanchez-Sibony and Jonatán Lemus
14. Conclusions Juan Pablo Luna, Rafael Piñeiro Rodríguez, Fernando Rosenblatt and Gabriel Vommaro.

Subject Areas: Comparative politics [JPB], Politics & government [JP], Hispanic & Latino studies [JFSL4]