Objective: The present study seeks to verify the extent to which affiliation with parties in different locations on the ideological spectrum explains public spending in Brazilian states (2012-2017).
Theoretical framework: To achieve the proposed objective, the article in question has a section where the theoretical framework is exposed, consisting of the discussion regarding the classic distinctions between left and right and the relationship with the provision of public policies.
Method: Data were collected using the National Treasury Secretariat (STN) databases. Some expenditure functions were chosen which, in principle, would denote ideological divergences between left and right parties and consequently differentiated public spending, namely: public security, social assistance, health, education, urban planning and environmental management. With the database ready, the Chi-square test was carried out to check whether there was an association between ideologies and spending. The Mann-Whitney U test was subsequently applied to compare the median expenditures of the two terms (2012-2014 and 2015-2017). Finally, panel data were used.
Results and Discussion: It can be seen that there is no consistent relationship between ideology (E/D) and public spending, that is, left-wing and right-wing parties tend to spend similarly. The exceptions are spending on education and urbanization, which are higher in states led by managers affiliated with left-wing parties, as expected.
Implications of the Research: If ideology is a good predictor of political positioning in the legislature, the same cannot be said in the executive and subnational governments. The ideological component here remains in the background and reveals little explanatory power.
Originality/Value: Few studies delve into the impact of political ideology on the provision of public policies.