Poverty, Inequality and Political Participation in Latin American Democracies

Friday Lecture with Dr. Claudio Holzner

Who participates in Latin American democracies? Do deep socioeconomic inequalities also translate into political inequality?Political systems in Latin America, whether democratic or authoritarian, have consistently excluded the poor from the political process. However, survey data shows that political participation is no longer stratified by income in Latin America, and in some countries the poor are more active than the affluent. This paper seeks to explain this striking empirical puzzle by examining the complex effects of the left turn on political participation. Specifically, this paper considers the effect that party systems and the quality of democracy have on the political activity of Latin America’s poorest citizens. It argues that the ideology of the governing party is less important than institutional and organizational factors for understanding the incentives parties have for mobilizing low-income citizens. 

Claudio Holzner is Associate Professor of Political Science and Director of the Center for Latin American Studies at The University of Utah.