Thesis: Political Instability: Does it Disrupt the Bureaucracy?

Bureaucrats are the implementers of public policy and the ultimate providers of public goods. Despite being generally recognised as a situation that disturbs governments’ functioning, there is little rigorous understanding on the role that political instability plays in determining state capacity. In practice, the roles of politicians and bureaucrats overlap, and this only adds a layer of complexity. The thesis aims to formally identify the main interaction dynamics between politicians and bureaucrats, and test its findings using two empirical strategies: a field experiment with Peruvian bureaucrats and a quasi-experiment in Guatemala, based on a survey of 4,800 public servants, nationwide.