A Multivariate Analysis of Economic Reform in Latin America, 1980-1995

by Ross, Ashley Dyan

The current literature on economic reform is fragmented and lacks a cohesive theoretical framework to fully explain the politics of neoliberal reform adoption. The multiple perspectives presented in the literature, including institutional, pluralist, macroeconomic, international pressures, and policy networks, create an incoherent explanation of economic liberalization. In an effort to more completely account for the political dynamics of the economic reform process, my analysis incorporates the primary variables supported by the literature on neoliberal reform within an informal institutions framework. My primary variable of interest is policy networks, and I support this with the theory of informal institutions while considering the political and economic context surrounding the reform process. The model I provide integrates the competing approaches to the study of reform. Unlike past studies, my study offers a comprehensive analysis of the politics of economic reform.