Policy Making and Electoral Politics in Mexico

This book is the result of a research on the effects§of electoral politics on§the distribution of government outlays for different§social programs in Mexico in the period§between 1988 and 2003. Each of the three essays in§the book§tackle the question of whether social policy during§the years of democratic transition in Mexico resulted§in the change of the political bias in the§distribution of social welfare programs benefits§previously reported in a time of semi-authoritarian§rule. The book shows that some policy instruments for§distribution of federal outlays for social welfare§programs in Mexico are still highly influenced by§electoral politics. Also that timing resources to§elections has been less evident as a political§strategy due to the gradual implementation of a new§scheme of programs or to decentralization. Political§allocation is still highly influenced by partisan§considerations. Former opposition parties have§succeeded in increasing their share of resources as§vote for their party increases. Finally,§decentralization has affected the power balance as§party affiliation of state governors is now relevant§for distribution at the municipal level.