Latin America's Left Turns: beyond good and bad (original) (raw)
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Towards a Greater Consensus: Making Sense of the Rise of the Latin American Left
Although many countries have seen the recent emergence of leftist governments, scholars have tended to distinguish between those that are governed by a moderate left and those ruled under a more populist or radical left. It is argued that it has been the internal characteristics, particular to each nation, that have determined which variety of left-wing government has come to power. Nevertheless, though they may differ in their approach, both the moderate and radical left share the same fundamental objective of addressing the shortcomings of the neo-liberal model. In that sense Latin America as a whole may potentially devise a new consensus on how best to pursue social and economic development.
Left-Wing Populists in Latin America?
Albeit usual in Social Sciences, the concept of populism has multiple meanings despite no strictness in its applicability. Scholars have been sighting to improve its concept in order to apply it in the present context of numerous left wing governments in Latin America. There seems to be a consensus among these scholars that some governments are populists such as Venezuela and Bolivia, but the concept of populism continues without a single definition. Most criteria, however, if applied to European Governments labeled as Social Democratic, would also leave them to be seen as populists. This paper appraises their most institution-centered criteria to the formulation of a concept of a populist government. From the formulation of a common concept to the one used by these authors, we analyze Hugo Chávez's and Evo Morales' experiences in Venezuela and Bolivia. From the angle of their relation with the institutions, it becomes clear that both Chávez and Morales represent distinct phenomena, and that only the former could be considered a populist according to the adopted definition of the concept.
Perspective on Politics
gion. That the left has been on the rise is incontrovertible. What it does once in power, however, is a subject that time is only now permitting us to answer, albeit in very preliminary fashion. Yet the prominence of the left is not solely a function of its presence in the halls of government. A key message of this book is not only that the Latin American political landscape has shifted leftward, but also that this shift emerges from and affects the underlying logics of political interactions that matter above and beyond what takes place inside the state apparatus. The long-term effects of the left turns, and their likely durability, can only be a matter of debate. Latin America's pink tide in part manifests itself in the succession of elections in which leftist presidential candidates have either won or performed nearly well enough to take office. Hugo Chávez's 1998 victory at the polls in Venezuela marked a trend that continued with the leftward shift in the Concertación in Chile-the triumph of Socialists Ricardo Lagos in 2000 and Michelle Bachelet in 2006; the rise to power in Uruguay of Tabaré Vásquez and the Frente Amplio, and that of Néstor Kirchner during that same year (with Kirchnerismo prolonged with the 2007 victory of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner). Further advances included those of Evo Morales in Bolivia in 2005, Rafael Correa and Daniel Ortega in Ecuador and Nicaragua during the following year, Álvaro Colom's ascent to the presidency of Guatemala in 2007 and, in 2008, that of Fernando Lugo in Paraguay. 1 The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) presidential candidate Mauricio Funes won the election that took place in El Salvador in March 2009 and (albeit in rather different circumstances) Honduras's José Manuel "Mel" Zelaya also attempted to shift his government toward the left before being overthrown in June 2009. 2 Furthermore, it is notable that Andrés Manuel López Obrador, Ollanta Humala, and Ottón Solís nearly won the vote in 2006 presidential balloting in Mexico, Peru, and Costa Rica, respectively, and that even where the left has failed to reach office at the level of the executive, it frequently has made important advances in legislative and subnational arenas. Such was the case in Mexico and Colombia in 2006 and 2007, respectively, to cite but two examples. But well beyond cases where the left has occupied the corridors of government, we see an underlying trend toward the emergence and mobilization of social and political currents variously protesting against the current political order, affirming or seeking recognition for subaltern groups, and demanding social and cultural change as well as political citizenship (Schaefer 2009; Schiwy 2008). Not only are popular movements making new demands, but as Benjamin Arditi maintains in his contribution to this book, they are doing so with greater efficacy than at any other moment since the arrival in Latin America of the third wave of democratization. In part this can no doubt be attributed to the cumulative effects of a quarter century of democratic politics, as well as to widespread dissatisfaction with what Peter Smith has termed "the
Populism: A Struggle for Hegemony. An Approach to the Latin American Left Strategies Countering the Right-Wing Populist Discourse, 2022
In recent years, the right-wing populist discourse, characterised as antagonistic and exclusionary, has proliferated in Latin America. This discourse has materialised in regressive actions that undermine democracy. Fortunately, leftist projects have tried to counter it by developing various strategies. Considering this context, this study addresses the research question: In what ways are the Latin American Left, including those in political parties, countering the populist discourses, including racism and anti-communism, emerging from the right and far-right in Latin America? Consequently, this dissertation aims to contribute to helping narrow an existing gap in the social sciences and communications fields regarding counterstrategies to right-wing populism in the region. This study uses concepts such as discourse, ideology, hegemony, populism, counterhegemony and counterdiscourse to provide a solid theoretical framework for the topic. Seven left party members and three scholars from Latin American countries were interviewed to learn about their organisations and individual experiences in countering right-wing populism. Their information was examined through thematic analysis to construct themes. The findings, presented through cross-case analysis, integrate the literature review and new literature in a dialogue with the data collected. The results show that the right-wing discourse varies and has particularities. Also, they evidence that the left has revindicated historical claims and demands such as gender equality and the defence of women's sexual and reproductive rights. However, new strategies have been necessary. The main finding of this study is that left populism has proven effective in fighting right populism. The study concludes that the Latin American left has made significant efforts to fight the right and far-right discourse, but substantial challenges persist in making the left ideas hegemonic and part of common sense. Keywords: Populism, discourse, right-wing, far-right, ideology, hegemony, counterhegemony, counterdiscourse, left-wing, Latin America.
Unarmed Utopia Revisited: The Resurgence of Left-of-Centre Politics in Latin America
Political Studies, 2005
This paper seeks to examine the extent to which left-wing forces are making a comeback in Latin America and to draw out the political implications of their political ascendancy. It argues that while left-of-centre parties have developed a persuasive critique of the failures of liberal democracy and economic neoliberalism in the region, there is as yet no conceptual clarity or distinct policy initiatives materialising from the left's promises of deepening democracy and implementing an alternative economic model. When in power, left-of-centre parties have followed a strategy of 'bending and moulding' existing political institutions and the free-market economic model rather than attempting radical political and economic reforms. This paper concludes that left-of-centre parties are right in accepting that there is little room in the region for an anti-systemic model and that instead the emphasis should be placed on making states, markets and democracy work better to secure development, address social demands and attack the root causes of discrimination and inequality. But leaving behind old certainties and adapting to the new political and economic environment has come at the cost of a loss of intellectual confidence, ideological clarity and weakened identities.
Populism and Democracy in Latin America
Ethics and International Affairs, 2009
Paraphrasing Karl Marx, a specter is haunting Latin America—the specter of ‘‘populism.’’ This label has been attached to a wave of radical left leaders in the region, including Hugo Chávez in Venezuela, Evo Morales in Bolivia, and Rafael Correa in Ecuador. The term is normatively charged. The Mexican politician and scholar Jorge Castañeda contrasts radical populist leaders (such as Chávez and Morales), whom he characterizes as less convinced of the intrinsic value of democracy and human rights, with moderate left-wingers (such as Michelle Bachelet in Chile, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva in Brazil, and Tabaré Vázquez in Uruguay), who embrace representative democracy and respect human rights. This division of the Latin American left between ‘‘good’’ social democrats and ‘‘bad’’ populists is open to challenge.
The Impasse of the Latin American Left
In The Impasse of the Latin American Left, Franck Gaudichaud, Massimo Modonesi, and Jeffery R. Webber explore the region’s Pink Tide as a political, economic, and cultural phenomenon. At the turn of the twenty-first century, Latin American politics experienced an upsurge in progressive movements, as popular uprisings for land and autonomy led to the election of left and center-left governments across Latin America. These progressive parties institutionalized social movements and established forms of state capitalism that sought to redistribute resources and challenge neoliberalism. Yet, as the authors demonstrate, these governments failed to transform the underlying class structures of their societies or challenge the imperial strategies of the United States and China. Now, as the Pink Tide has largely receded, the authors offer a portrait of this watershed period in Latin American history in order to evaluate the successes and failures of the left and to offer a clear-eyed account ...
Social and Political Transitions in Latin America: From the Left Turn's Rise to its Decline
Social and Political Transitions During the Left Turn in Latin America, 2002
Multiple social and political processes of reconfiguration have taken place across Latin America in the period known as the Left Turn, from the early 2000s to the mid-2010s. Regardless of whether they experienced left-of-center governments or not, the Left Turn impacted the region's countries, and thus one can understand this period as a regional order. This introductory chapter presents the book's overarching research question: how do states and societal (national and transnational) actors trigger and shape processes of political and socioeconomic transitions in Latin America from the rise to the decline of the Left Turn. The chapter also presents the social and political transitions tackled by the book's contributing authors. This chapter discusses the two cross-cutting concepts of this volume: The actors and the liminal character of transitional processes. This discussion also explores the methodological challenges and the need for a