The Influence of Party Systems on Citizens’ Perceptions of Corruption and Electoral Response in Latin America

This study examines how different party systems in Latin America affect the capability of opposition parties to use public concerns about political corruption for electoral mobilization. Opposition partisanship is more strongly linked to perceptions of corruption in the ideologically polarized party...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Comparative political studies 2004-08, Vol.37 (6), p.677-703
Main Authors: Davis, Charles L., Camp, Roderic Ai, Coleman, Kenneth M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chile
Citizens
Comparative politics
Corruption
Corruption in government
Costa Rica
Electoral results
Latin America
Mexico
Mobilization
Party systems
Perception
Perceptions
Political corruption
Political mobilization
Political opposition
Political Parties
Public Opinion
Voting Behavior
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Summary:This study examines how different party systems in Latin America affect the capability of opposition parties to use public concerns about political corruption for electoral mobilization. Opposition partisanship is more strongly linked to perceptions of corruption in the ideologically polarized party system of Chile than in the hegemonic party system then in decline in Mexico or in the centrist two-party system of Costa Rica. However, the capability of opposition parties in all three party systems to mobilize electoral support among voters dissatisfied with corruption is weakened by the tendency of these politically alienated citizens to withdrawfrom all types of political involvement. Implications of the findings for redressing problems of political corruption through the electoral process and for a deepening of democracy in Latin America are discussed.
ISSN:0010-4140
1552-3829
DOI:10.1177/0010414004265879