This study, first published in 2002, explores legislative politics in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Mexico. Instead of beginning with an assumption that these legislatures are either rubber-stamps or obstructionist bodies, the chapters provide interesting data and a fresh analytical approach to describe and explain the role of these representative bodies in these consolidating democracies. For each country the book provides three chapters dedicated, in turn, to executive-legislative relations, the legislatures' organizational structure, and the policy process. The analytical focus of each section, however remains the same: the role of institutional factors (including the allocation of policy-making authority between the executive and legislative branches of government, the number of relevant parties in the legislature, and the structure of electoral incentives) in shaping the patterns of legislative behavior.

‘This book is essential reading for specialists in legislative studies.’

Source: Journal of Legislative Studies

‘… richness and the detail of all twelve country-specific chapters cannot be summarised in this brief review … a thorough analysis … The structure of the book constitutes a unique and effective ‘research design’ … this is an excellent work … Cambridge University Press wisely chose to make a paperback version available, and I have successfully used the volume in an upper division undergraduate course on Latin American politics and have assigned it to my graduate students in a variety of courses.’

Source: Journal of Latin American Studies

'Legislative Politics in Latin America is an important work of reference that will be of value to researchers and postgraduates …'

Source: Latin American Review of Books