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Twenty-first century developmental projects like those of the Brazilian Workers' Party take place in a regulatory context that--at least on paper--demands new scrutiny of their environmental and community impacts. Scholars of the democratic developmental state also argue that development now requires building human capabilities, promoting sustainable development, and seeking community feedback. We examine 302 electricity projects financed by BNDES to see if and when these developmentalist infrastructure projects faced challenging scrutiny on environmental and community impact grounds. 29 percent generated organized community opposition, extended licensing processes, and/or legal action. These were most common for large projects and projects where community and state actors worked together in blocking coalitions. We conclude that the ideals of the democratic developmental state are more compatible in theory than in practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since 1978 when Juan Linz posited his fears about the "perils of presidentialism," presidential democracies have been less likely to break down. Nonetheless, presidents continue to confront challenges. Between 1978 and 2006, 30 percent of all democratically elected presidents worldwide faced serious efforts to remove them from office, and 12 percent were forced out before their terms ended. While scholars have explored the sources of these crises, focusing on their effects is equally important. If such crises have profound consequences, then even with regime collapse not at issue, presidentialism would remain associated with normatively bad outcomes. Yet if challenges or failures have minimal effects, then early presidential exit may represent an underappreciated equilibrating mechanism. The evidence indicates that the challenges and falls in Latin America cause only superficial and ephemeral damage to democratic governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses issues related to presidentialism and presidential falls in South America. In a presidential system, presidents inevitably stand apart and above other political figures because of their special powers and special sources of legitimacy. The shape of these powers has been on the political agenda in South American countries nearly constantly. South America is unusual in the extreme flexibility of its presidential terms, especially in contrast with the classic case of U.S. presidentialism.

Examines how developments in the civil society arena are linked to processes of democratization and economic liberalization in Latin America. Definition of the conceptual territory of democratic representational regimes; Discussion on mobilizing structures of civil society organizations; Conclusion.