The apprenticeship of Chilean congressional leaders (1834-1924) from the perspective of the theory of legislative institutionalization

Abstract

This article analyzes the historical development of Chilean congressional leadership offices (1834-1924), while testing a proposition of the theory of legislati ve institutionalization that says that legislatures gradually move to-ward greater boundedness over time. The indicator of boundedness is the length of the apprenticeship of congressional leaders. Lateral entry, short office tenure, and returning leaders became distinctive features in the case at hand. Institutional design and exchanges between the legislat ure and the environment determine legislative institutionaliz ation, so a legislature insti-tutionalizes by acquiring stability, permanence, distinctiveness, and sustain-ability in a polity.