Citizen and Democracy: Politica Legitimacy Processes in Latin American Democracies

Abstract

The main objective of this chapter is to present a psycho-political perspective on the legitimacy of democracy in Latin America, analyzing the role of citizens in the legitimacy processes of this political system in the region. In order to do that, we focus mainly on the theoretical and empirical contributions of Latin American psychologists. It is relevant to note that the study of democracy and political legitimacy from a psychological approach is still an emerging field of study. At the same time, and due to a profound economic crisis, together with a lack of interest of many local governments on the investment in science and education, the Latin American scientific system is going through a critical situation. This undermines the possibilities of carrying out large research programs and transcultural studies. However, political psychology is a dynamic field that has produced relevant contributions that enable a critical approach to the study of the legitimacy of democracy. The first section of this chapter contextualizes the problem of Latin American democracies and briefly describes democracy consolidation and legitimacy processes. In the second section, the explanatory dimensions of citizen attributions of political legitimacy are addressed. We address different elements of political culture, emphasizing problematic dimensions of the current political scenario such as corruption and low institutional quality. Finally, the role of citizens as agents of political change and the potential systemic consequences of their attitudes and behaviors in relation to politics are discussed.