When the old meets the new: an analysis of the decentralization proposed with the subprefeituras in the cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro

Theoretically this article discusses if institutional innovations in governmental structures can feed and to be supported by political practices traditionally existent. Empirically we analyze the decentralization through the implementation of the Subprefectures in Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo cities. We show how gradually the Subprefectures became political resources for the mayors to constitute their policy of alliance at the City Council. The pluralism and historic institutionalism are the theoretical support of this qualitative study based on most-different cases: we stress the variation about the independent variable seeking to avoid the variation over the results. The goal is to analyze the similarity of the manner how the Subprefectures served to the paulista and carioca mayors build their dominant political coalition. We conclude that the decentralization not always is virtuous because in settings where aldermen have influence and control over regions of the city there are inducements to the maintenance of institutionalized political practices of governmental patronage to get parliamentarian support.