Angel's Topic Exploration by Vergara, Angel

SDG 16: Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions

s1753396 — 2025-08-21 04:25:20 UTC

I'd like to explore the effects that US interventions have had on the development of governmental institutions in Latin America.

What are SDG 16's goals?

s1753396 — 2025-08-21 13:48:30 UTC

16.1 Significantly reduce all forms of violence and related death rates everywhere.

16.2 End abuse, exploitation, trafficking and all forms of violence and torture of children.

16.3 Promote the rule of law and ensure equal access to justice for all.

16.4 Significantly reduce illicit financial and arms flows, strengthen recovery and return of stolen assets and combat all forms of organized crime.

16.5 Substantially reduce corruption and bribery in all their forms.

16.6 Develop effective, accountable and transparent institutions at all levels.

16.7 Ensure responsive, inclusive, participatory and representative decision-making at all levels.

16.8 Broaden and strengthen the participation of developing countries in global governance institutions.

What is the problem with "weak institutions".

s1753396 — 2025-08-22 20:29:16 UTC

According to a report by the Brookings Global Economy and Development forum, a weak state/institution is "countries lacking the capacity and/or will to foster an environment conducive to sustainable and equitable economic growth; to establish and maintain legitimate, transparent, and accountable political institutions; to secure their populations from violent conflict and to control their territory; and to meet the basic human needs of their population."

Where are weak institutions prevalent?

s1753396 — 2025-08-26 03:43:31 UTC

According to data from the Fragile State Index, many countries with weak political institutions are in Africa, with 6 out of the top 10 most fragile states being located in the continent (Over half of which are in/near the East Africa region). Despite this, I intend to explore the institutions in Latin America, as this is where my preference/background lies.

Where are weak institutions in LatAm?

s1753396 — 2025-08-28 13:42:57 UTC

According to the Global Economy, 12/20 countries in Latin America fall below the median score for political stability, with corruption, government efficacy, and lack of civil participation contributing to their overall instability. Most of these countries are located in South America, particularly in the northern half.

What are institutions?

s1753396 — 2025-08-28 14:05:27 UTC

"Institutions are the rules of the game in a society or, more formally, are the humanly devised constraints that shape human interaction. In consequence they structure incentives in human exchange, whether political, social, or economic. Institutional change shapes the way societies evolve through time and hence is the key to understanding historical change."

This quote by Dr. Douglass North articulates what the function of governmental and financial institutions is. It also covers how they are both shaped and help shape socioeconomic and political factors.

Note: my concentration

s1753396 — 2025-08-29 03:31:10 UTC

For the most part, I will concentrate on Latin American countries as that is where both my interest and background knowledge lies. The goal of my analysis is to compare and contrast different countries in LatAm to see what works for some countries, what doesn't work for others, and some general suggestions to improve the current conditions of the region.

What makes these institutions weak?

s1753396 — 2025-09-02 00:43:33 UTC

There are a wide range of factors that can cause governments to fail or weaken their authority within their boarders. They can range from economic, systemic, or sociopolitical components that could contribute to the weakening or failure of a state.

Factor I: Economic

s1753396 — 2025-09-03 02:25:18 UTC

"In economics, government failure refers to situations where government intervention in the economy, intended to correct a market failure or improve economic outcomes, actually creates inefficiencies, worsens existing problems, or introduces new problems."

Government failure can be caused by inaccurate or outdated information, regulatory capture, or general governmental incompetence (political intensives, unforeseen consequences, etc.).

Factor II: Systemic/Historic

s1753396 — 2025-09-04 03:48:33 UTC

Systemic/Historic factors is an umbrella term I am using to describe factors that helped shape the government before its inception. Examples of these factors include a history of colonial exploitation, a weak founding document, or other problems or context that may be a fundamental weakness to the government.

Factor III: Sociopolitical

s1753396 — 2025-09-04 12:41:27 UTC

"Sociopolitical factors refer to the interplay between social and political elements that influence a society's structure, governance, and cultural dynamics."

Sociopolitical factors are aspects of the wider societal context in which a government is working in. This includes factors such as prominent political ideologies, issues of class, race, and gender, and issues on public policy.

Question Proposal I

s1753396 — 2025-09-04 13:26:43 UTC

What are the formative factors of weak governmental institutions in Latin America?