This book offers a comparative perspective on how presidential democracies make public policy.

1. Introduction: political institutions and the determinants of public policy Stephan Haggard and Mathew D. McCubbins; Part I. Theory: 2. The institutional determinants of economic policy outcomes Gary W. Cox and Mathew D. McCubbins; 3. Institutions and public policy in presidential systems Matthew S. Shugart and Stephan Haggard; Part II. Budgetary Policy Cases: 4. Budget procedure and fiscal restraint in post-transition Chile Lisa Baldez and John M. Carey; 5. Political institutions and public policy in Argentina: an overview of the formation and execution of the National Budget Mark P. Jones; 6. Democracy and deficits in Taiwan: the politics of fiscal policy, 1986-96 Tun-jen Cheng and Stephan Haggard; Part III. Regulatory Policy Cases: 7. Political institutions and economic development: the case of electric utility regulation in Argentina and Chile William B. Heller and Mathew D. McCubbins; 8. Power politics: elections and electricity regulation in Taiwan Stephan Haggard and Gregory W. Noble; 9. Privatization in transition economies: politics as usual? Philip Keefer and Mary Shirley; 10. Conclusion: policymaking in presidential systems Stephan Haggard, Mathew D. McCubbins and Matthew Shugart.