Democracy, autocracy, and legislative structure in Latin America: a historical analysis of unicameral and bicameral design

This article examines the historical evolution of legislative chamber design in Latin America, from independence to the present. Using a new dataset, we trace the trajectories of unicameral and bicameral legislatures across the region. The analysis demonstrates that democratic regimes foster greater institutional continuity, making chamber reforms less likely, while autocracies exhibit higher volatility. Moreover, bicameral congresses prove more resilient than unicameral ones, which are more prone to structural change. By linking legislative design to regime type, the study advances understanding of institutional stability and change in Latin America.