Reclaiming Latin America Experiments in Radical Social Democracy

by Lievesley, Geraldine; Ludlam, Steve

• ISBN13: 9781848131835
• ISBN10: 1848131836
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2009-08-15
• Publisher: UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO PRESS

Summary

This book is a one-stop guide to the revival of social democratic and socialist politics across the region. At the end of the Cold War, after decades of neoliberal domination and the "Washington Consensus," it seemed that the left was finished in Latin America. But in fact new opportunities sprang up through electoral politics and mass action. Warning against over-simplification, this book offers detailed historical analysis of Latin America as a whole and country-specific case studies. From the anti-imperialism of the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas in Venezuela, Bolivia and Cuba, to the more gradualist routes being taken in Chile, Argentina and Brazil,Reclaiming Latin Americagives a real sense of the plurality of political responses to popular discontent.

Author Biography

Geraldine Lievesley is a Senior Lecturer in politics at Manchester Metropolitan University. Steve Ludlam is a Senior Lecturer in politics at the University of Sheffield.

Table of Contents

Tables and box	p. vi
Acknowledgements	p. vii
Acronyms	p. viii
Introduction: a 'pink tide'?	p. 1
The left- in Latin America
Is Latin America moving leftwards? Problems and prospects	p. 21
The Latin Americanization of the politics of emancipation	p. 37
Case studies
Venezuela: the political evolution of Bolivarianism	p. 57
Venezuela: reinventing social democracy from below?	p. 75
Bolivia: playing by new rules	p. 91
Nicaragua: the return of Daniel Ortega	p. 109
Cuban socialism: recovery and change	p. 123
Mexico: political parties and local participation	p. 140
Brazil: has the dream ended?	p. 153
Brazil: third ways in the Third World	p. 170
Chile: swimming against the tide?	p. 183
Argentina: reforming neoliberal capitalism	p. 199
Conclusion: Nuestra América - the spectre haunting Washington	p. 217
Notes on contributors	p. 230
Bibliography	p. 233
Index	p. 255
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