Introduction

Most LAC countries have democratic constitutions, functioning bureaucracies, and professional judiciaries. The institutions are in place, but their operation varies widely across the region. Some institutions function well in some countries, sometimes surpassing the performance of those in comparable, wealthier countries. Others, however, are plagued with waste and corruption, impose needless costs on the population, and do not accomplish their missions well. I highlight the most pressing problems in the LAC region and discuss potential solutions, drawing on existing experiments and reform initiatives. Reform priorities ought to differ across countries. Although most occupy the middle range on cross-country measures of corruption and government effectiveness and in terms of economic wellbeing and growth, the key pressure points vary. I highlight good and bad performers on a number of dimensions and argue that broad regional similarities imply that successes in one country can provide lessons for reformers elsewhere.

I concentrate on public administration and the judiciary, but improvements in these areas can complement other types of reform. For example, Latin American democracies have traditionally had weak legislatures. If legislative capacity is strengthened, it can play a stronger oversight role with respect to the executive. Similarly, if violence and organized crime make ordinary state functioning problematic, then improved law enforcement is a necessary condition for other types of reform to succeed.