Advancing the Study of Stateness in Central America: Methodology and Some Illustrative Findings

Abstract

this paper succintly describes how a network of researchers associated to the costa rican Programa Estado de la Nación developed new data sources and crafted direct measures of stateness for the central america countries. Our theoretical framework relied on mann's concept of state infrastructural power. as a result, a wealth of information is now available to scholars studying stateness in central america, as well as to researchers engaged on broader comparative research about stateness in Latin america. some preliminary findings are reported and guidelines for future research are suggested.

Renewable Energy in Central America: One Step Forward, One Step Back, and Another Tentative Step Forward Again

“…Our analysis shows that despite variations in context, state leadership has been central to the promotion of renewables for the reasons we have discussed, including the fact that the origins and management of the energy sector have always been tied to the state; the size and level of development of the markets are not large or stable enough to attract vigorous private competition or investment; the desire to use energy to spread development to new and low‐income areas necessitates it; and there is highly limited local capacity to develop renewable sources absent foreign investment, which in turn depends on state guarantees to reduce risk. States in the region, with the exception of Costa Rica, are institutionally and politically weak and tend to be run by elite interests, including family ties extending across economic and political spheres (Vargas Cullell, , p. 124).…”

Social Expenditure in Central America, Panama and the Dominican Republic at a Glance: 2007-2013

“…This information is then combined with other relevant institutional design variables such as financing sources, legal status and rules for the appointment of the senior officials of public entities. Although this work builds on the information and analysis of previous studies (PEN, 2011;Vargas Cullell, 2013), the resulting picture offers a fresh perspective on the institutional factors conditioning public administration in the region.…”

“…The comparative study of the institutional capacities of States often relies on indirect measures (Vargas Cullell, 2013). Such measures aim to infer capacities from the information provided by selected public policy performance indicators, or from expert opinions or citizens' evaluations about how well a State is performing its functions (World Economic Forum, 2015;Bertelsmann Stiftung, 2015;World Bank, 2015;Luna and Soifer, 2015).…”

“…18 According to 2009 figures, its proportion of the budget was 6%, which is probably closer to its real share of the regional total (Vargas Cullell, 2013).…”

“…The concept of capacity is used in the sense of a set of properties or attributes inherent to the nature of an institution, and not to the talent, willingness or ability of the authorities and bureaucracy to achieve certain ends (Vargas Cullell, 2013).…”