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The Politics of Expertise in Latin America: Antecedents and Actualities

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  • Laurence Whitehead

Abstract

All public activities are in some broad measure political, and all require certainspecialised skills, which may be termed “expertise”. But over time and space the realm ofthe specifically “political” may either expand or contract. Equally, what counts as expertise,and how much autonomy it will be granted, also varies over time and space. Horsemanship,literacy, oratory, textual exegesis, and an understanding of global financial derivatives haveeach been regarded as the hallmark of the modern expert in one setting or another. The relationshipbetween the “generalist” politician and the “specialist” expert is one of the mostancient and recurring themes in political science. Effective and durable rule requires the enlistmentof a range of competences, yet government is not reducible to technique. How thenare the rulers to be guided by their advisers without being usurped by them? JEL Classification: J24; D72; D82.

Suggested Citation

  • Laurence Whitehead, 2000. "The Politics of Expertise in Latin America: Antecedents and Actualities," Brazilian Journal of Political Economy, Center of Political Economy, vol. 20(2), pages 212-224.
    • Handle: RePEc:ekm:repojs:v:20:y:2000:i:2:p:212-224:id:1024
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    Keywords

    Technogracy; specialization; election;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • D72 - Microeconomics - - Analysis of Collective Decision-Making - - - Political Processes: Rent-seeking, Lobbying, Elections, Legislatures, and Voting Behavior
    • D82 - Microeconomics - - Information, Knowledge, and Uncertainty - - - Asymmetric and Private Information; Mechanism Design

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