The thesis aims to analyze the role of Kirchnerismo in undermining horizontal accountability in general and judicial independence in particular. It uses a qualitative methodology in addition to...Show moreThe thesis aims to analyze the role of Kirchnerismo in undermining horizontal accountability in general and judicial independence in particular. It uses a qualitative methodology in addition to theories and concepts from political science.Show less
Since 1995, the World Bank is the most dominant world actor in the international water sector through their large influence on policy making and contribution to financial aid for water projects....Show moreSince 1995, the World Bank is the most dominant world actor in the international water sector through their large influence on policy making and contribution to financial aid for water projects. Such financial aid comes with economic reform, including the privatization of key industries such as the water supply. In the 1980s Bolivia took a loan from the Bank, which meant that they had to adhere to such economic reform and privatized their water supply in Cochabamba. The World Bank has a water policy to which they should adhere. However, with the implementation of the privatization several instances of organized hypocrisy were highlighted. This hypocrisy created instances of corruption during the privatization of the water supply in Cochabamba in the period of 1999-2002.Show less
This thesis answers the question: to what extent are both neoliberal policies and the lack of checks and balances typical of Pinochet’s authoritarian regime (1973-1990) responsible for the...Show moreThis thesis answers the question: to what extent are both neoliberal policies and the lack of checks and balances typical of Pinochet’s authoritarian regime (1973-1990) responsible for the emergence of corruption in Chile? This thesis conducts a qualitative analysis, and, firstly, designs a theoretical framework based on the literature on the relation between neoliberalism and corruption, as well as authoritarianism and corruption. Secondly, this thesis provides the historical, economic and moral context in which Pinochet’s dictatorship grew. Thirdly, this thesis answers its research question and concludes that neoliberal policies led to corruption from the very beginning, namely from a disorganized process of privatization. This favoured quick deregulation and allowed the elites to put their interests before the ones of the nation. Accordingly, private elites acquired state enterprises through the practise of exclusion of qualified bidders, and agglomerated in the grupos económicos, stimulating an enduring system of political patronage and clientelism. This thesis further determines that the lack of checks and balances – given by the absence of free press, opposition parties, Contraloría and an independent judiciary power – made it impossible to keep the government accountable and helped to strengthen even more political patronage and clientelism. Finally, this thesis proves that, in this context, neoliberalism provided the means to the dictatorship to engage in corrupt practises and to Pinochet himself to get visibly richer.Show less
