Los procesos de "presupuesto participativo" en América Latina: Éxito, fracaso y cambio

Abstract

This article examines efforts at introducing participatory mechanisms into local government budget processes. The broad hypothesis advanced is that the design and, partially in turn, the results of participatory budgeting (PB) depend on both the designing actors" intentions and the pre-existing conditions in the particular locale, especially the degree of fiscal decentralization and the institutionalization of opposition parties. These hypotheses are examined through a controlled comparison of PB in three cities-Caracas, Montevideo, and Porto Alegre-and a broad comparison of Brazil, Bolivia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Peru. I conclude that national legal mandates for PB have not had widespread local success in encouraging citizen participation, fiscal transparency, and effective municipal government.