From patronage to technocracy : recent changes in municipal management in Mexico

Authors

  • Peter M. Ward Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affaires

Abstract

A typology comprising technocratic rationality versus political partisanship helps to identify several local governments structures found in contenmporary Mexico: political machines, autonomous-indigenous; technocratic; anf modernizing party governments. Case study research in over a dozen municipalities for three principal parties suggests a trend towards increasing technocratic and administratively efficient municipal government and changing patterns of partisanship. This arises from new pressures associeted with electoral opening, alternancia, new governments actors, geowing urban development complexity, and from federal reforms offering greater local government autonomy. However, while improved administration and technocratic governance often leads to positive outcomes, they do not necessarily imply "good government". A typology comprising technocratic rationality versus political partisanship helps to identify several local governments structures found in contenmporary Mexico: political machines, autonomous-indigenous; technocratic; anf modernizing party governments. Case study research in over a dozen municipalities for three principal parties suggests a trend towards increasing technocratic and administratively efficient municipal government and changing patterns of partisanship. This arises from new pressures associeted with electoral opening, alternancia, new governments actors, geowing urban development complexity, and from federal reforms offering greater local government autonomy. However, while improved administration and technocratic governance often leads to positive outcomes, they do not necessarily imply "good government". 

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How to Cite

Ward, P. M. (1998). From patronage to technocracy : recent changes in municipal management in Mexico. Política Y Gobierno, 5(1), 95-133. http://politicaygobierno.cide.edu/index.php/pyg/article/view/511