Suchergebnisse

Representative democracy hinges upon the notion of accountability. We examine the mediating effects of political context on economic accountability in a hostile environment - the developing democracies of Central America. We test whether clarity of responsibility mediates the economy's effects on citizens' support for a president using approval ratings. In general, we find that a good economy increases public support for a president significantly more under unified government, but surprisingly, we find that a bad economy decreases public support for a president far more under divided government Dynamic simulations show that these effects become more pronounced during sustained periods of economic expansion or contraction. Adapted from the source document.

AT MID-TERM, THE BELLICOSE MOMENTUM OF THE REAGAN ADMINISTRATION'S POLICIES TOWARD NICARAGUA, AND TOWARD CENTRAL AMERICA AS A WHOLE, HAS STALLED. THE REACTIONARY IMPULSE BEHIND THESE POLICIES (IN THE SENSE OF AN ATTEMPT TO ROLL BACK CHANGE TO THE STATUS QUO ANTE) HAS NEVER BEEN DISOWNED. TO BE SURE, THE CHARGE THAT THESE POLICIES ARE CRUEL, BECAUSE THEY PERPETUATE AND AUGMENT AVOIDABLE HUMAN SUFFERING IN LITTLE COUNTRIES, DOES NOT DISTURB SELF-RIGHTEOUS OFFICIALS AND ADVISERS; THEIR VALUES HAVE NOT CHANGED. WHAT IS BEGINNING TO GIVE THEM PAUSE IS THEIR OWN INEPTNESS, THE APPEARANCE OF CONSEQUENCES THEY HAD NOT FORESEEN, THE POLITICAL IMPASSE IN WHICH THEY HAVE LANDED.

S. 27-31,52-53: Mathews, Thomas: The West Indies after the Federation

Ruhl, J. M.: Honduras unravels. - S. 93-107 Isaacs, A.: Guatemala on the brink. - S. 108-122 Seligson, M. A.; Booth, J. A.: Crime, hard times, and discontent. - S. 123-135

Political and economic perspectives on US policy in the region; 8 articles. Partial contents: Cuba in crisis, by Gillian Gunn; Panama: the United States invasion and its aftermath, by Steve C. Ropp; Nicaragua in transition, by Jennifer L. McCoy.