Author: Jean-Paul Faguet | Journal of Democracy

Jean-Paul Faguet is professor of the political economy of development in the Departments of International Development and Government at the London School of Economics. He is the author of Decentralization and Popular Democracy: Governance from Below in Bolivia (2012).

October 2018, Volume 29, Issue 4

Latin America’s Shifting Politics: The Lessons of Bolivia

Jean-Paul Faguet

A disconnect between Bolivia’s old party system and the country’s deeper social-cleavage structure led to a massive shift in politics there. What lessons might be drawn for other nations?

October 2015, Volume 26, Issue 4

Decentralizing for a Deeper, More Supple Democracy

Jean-Paul Faguet
Ashley M. Fox
Caroline Pöschl

Can decentralization deepen democracy or is it doomed to weaken the state? If well designed, decentralization can have a positive impact on national unity, conflict mitigation, policy autonomy, service delivery, and social learning.