Making Constitutions
Presidents, Parties, and Institutional Choice in Latin America

Examines constitutional change in Latin America from 1900 to 2008 and provides the first systematic explanation of the origins of constitutional designs.

Gabriel L. Negretto (Author)

9781107026520, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 17 June 2013

296 pages, 14 b/w illus. 26 tables
22.9 x 15.2 x 2.1 cm, 0.61 kg

'Gabriel Negretto has produced a masterful book that helps us to understand constitutional politics in the region and beyond. Integrating quantitative analysis with a series of case studies, Negretto's innovative analysis makes this book required reading for students of constitutional design.' Political Science Quarterly

Negretto provides the first systematic explanation of the origins of constitutional designs from an analytical, historical and comparative perspective. Based on analysis of constitutional change in Latin America from 1900 to 2008 and four detailed case studies, Negretto shows the main determinants of constitutional choice are the past performance of constitutions in providing effective and legitimate instruments of government and the strategic interests of the actors who have influence over institutional selection. The book explains how governance problems shape the general guidelines for reform, while strategic calculations and power resources affect the selection of specific alternatives of design. It emphasizes the importance of events that trigger reform and the designers' level of electoral uncertainty for understanding the relative impact of short-term partisan interests on constitution writing. Negretto's study challenges predominant theories of institutional choice and paves the way for the development of a new research agenda on institutional change.

Part I. The Logic of Constitutional Choice: Theory and Data: 1. Constitutional change and patterns of design
2. A two-level theory of constitutional choice
3. Determinants of variation in constitutional choice
Part II. Case Studies: The Origins of Reforms: 4. Constitutional change as a means to consolidate power: Argentina 1949
5. Constitutional change as a strategy to redistribute power: Argentina 1994
6. Constitutional change as a response to state failure: Colombia 1991
7. Constitutional change as a remedy for ungovernability: Ecuador 1998.

Subject Areas: Constitution: government & the state [JPHC], Political structure & processes [JPH], Comparative politics [JPB]