Leader and Party in Latin America

Tracing the development and decay of political parties in Latin America, Dr. Duff suggests that the sociological or environmental explanations of political parties are inadequate in explaining why institutionalized political parties develop in some societies and not in others. In a series of eight case studies of disparate Latin American nations in the 1920s and 1930s, Dr. Duff shows that the crucial factor in party institutionalism appears to be the emergence of political leaders who must rely on manipulation of institutions they create, rather than on personal charisma, for ultimate control of the political process. The successful institution builders– Calles in Mexico, Trujillo in the Dominican Republic, and Betancourt in Venezuela–are contrasted with notable failures–Yrigoyen in Argentina, Arturo Alessandri in Chile, Grau San Martin in Cuba, General Martinez in El Salvador, and Haya de la Torre in Peru.