Presidentialism in South America: a comparative analysis of Argentina and Brazil

Abstract

For a long time presidentialism was defined as a type of regime based on the principle of the separation of powers. However, in most cases presidentialist systems have operated differently, in a way which is closer to the concentration of powers, rather than separation of powers: this is particularly true of the majority of countries in Latin America. In an attempt to shed light on this issue, this article adopts a restricted definition of presidentialism and puts forward a typology of democratic regimes which it then applies to the two largest South American countries: Argentina and Brazil. Subsequently, the writer locates these countries within the system of classification developed in this article and closes with a number of references to some of the general implications of the suggested framework for both the theory and practice of presidential government.