Democratically Elected Socialist Presidents and Free-Market Reforms: A Political Economy Examination

摘要

Left-of-center parties are rhetorically against liberalizing markets, but historical evidence proves otherwise under certain circumstances. The United States is vitally interested in the democratic and economic success of developing countries, as stated in United States national security strategy. This thesis uses economic institutionalism to examine the occasions on which left-of-center presidents successfully implemented neoliberal economic reforms. Case studies of Chile under President Patricio Aylwin and Brazil under President Fernando Henrique Cardoso are used as evidence.