Retiring Weber? Informational capacities in Brazilian municipal governments

Abstract

This study investigates the synergy between different state capacities  in Brazilian municipal governments, with a special focus on informational capacities. Using data from 5,570 Brazilian municipalities and the i-GeM/QualiGov scale, processed with descriptive and inferential statistics, the work explores how informational capabilities relate to technical, administrative and regulatory capacities. Surprisingly, the constitution of informational capacities showed little relationship with the presence of a Weberian bureaucracy "in the flesh" (civil servants with higher education and career). The study suggests that top-down policies that encourage the adoption of informational resources can be an effective way to strengthen local policymaking capacities.