Dados is one of the most widely-read social sciences journals in Latin America. Created in 1966, it publishes innovative works, originating from academic research, by Brazilian and foreign authors. Edited by IESP-UERJ, it aims to reconcile scientific rigor and academic excellence with an emphasis on public debate based on the analysis of substantive issues of society and politics.
Dados vol. 42 n. 4 Rio de Janeiro 1999
Abstract
In this comparison of Belo Horizontes and Salvadors experiences within three arenas of local government, the article focuses on the viability of institutional arrangements based on decentralization and citizen participation. It concludes that the relative success achieved when inaugurating city master plans, participatory budgeting (where civil society has direct input in budget definitions), and sectoral councils (councils for decentralized policy issue areas) is linked to three factors: prior decentralization processes, articulation between different decision-making units, and, above all, the neutralization of clientelistic control mechanisms through the introduction of horizontal loyalty networks and spaces of representation that in the final analysis will foster greater social capital and accountability.
Keywords: decentralization, participation, local government
DOI: 10.1590/S0011-52581999000400002
Decentralization, clientelism, and social capital in urban governing: comparing Belo Horizonte and Salvador
Português do Brasil
Español