Latin American Populism in the Twenty-First Century

by Carlos de la Torre, Cynthia J. Arnson

Overview

Contributors to this volume take the long view of populism in Latin America—placing current movements into the context of the past.

Venezuela’s Hugo Chávez, Bolivia’s Evo Morales, and Ecuador’s Rafael Correa have brought the subject of Latin American populism once again to the fore of scholarly and policy debate in the region. Latin American Populism in the Twenty-first Century explains the emergence of today’s radical populism and places it in historical context, identifying continuities as well as differences from both the classical populism of the 1930s and 1940s and the neo-populism of the 1990s.

Leading Latin American, U.S., and European authors explore the institutional and socioeconomic contexts that give rise to populism and show how disputes over its meaning are closely intertwined with debates over the meaning of democracy. By analyzing the discourse and policies of populist leaders and reviewing their impact in particular countries, these contributors provide a deeper understanding of populism’s democratizing promise as well as the authoritarian tendencies that threaten the foundation of liberal democracy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781421410098
Publisher:	Woodrow Wilson Center Press / Johns Hopkins University Press
Publication date:	08/13/2013
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Cynthia Arnson is Deputy Director of the Latin American Program at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars.

Table of Contents

Tables and Figures ix

Acknowledgments xi

1 Introduction: The Evolution of Latin American Populism and the Debates Over Its Meaning Carlos de la Torre Cynthia J. Arnson 1

2 Parties and Populism in Latin America Kenneth M. Roberts 37

3 Populism in Democratic Times: Populism, Representative Democracy, and the Debate on Democratic Deepening Enrique Peruzzotti 61

4 What Do We Mean When We Talk About Populism? Francisco Panizza 85

5 Populism and Social Policy in Latin America Kurt Weyland 117

6 From the Peróns to the Kirchners: "Populism" in Argentine Politics Hector E. Schamis 145

7 Populism, Neopopulism, and the Left in Brazil: From Getúlio to Lula Leslie Bethell 179

8 Populism in Peru: From APRA to Ollanta Humala Cynthia McClintock 203

9 Populism, Rentierism, and Socialism in the Twenty-First Century: The Case of Venezuela Margarita López Maya Alexandra Panzarelli 239

10 From the MNR to the MAS: Populism, Parties, the State, and Social Movements in Bolivia since 1952 John Crabtree 269

11 Rafael Correa and His Plebiscitary Citizens' Revolution César Montúfar 295

12 Politicizing Insecurity: Uribe's Instrumental Use of Populism Ana María Bejarano 323

13 Conclusion: The Meaning and Future of Latin American Populism Cynthia J. Arnson Carlos de la Torre 351

Contributors 377

Index 383

What People are Saying About This

"Latin American Populism in the Twenty-first Century does a remarkable job in providing a fresh perspective on one of the region's most recurrent and controversial political phenomena. Its breadth of theory and empirical case studies mean that it will be a must-read not only for researchers interested in populism, but also for anyone interested in the politics of the poor and marginalized more generally."

Philip Oxhorn

"Latin American Populism in the Twenty-first Century does a remarkable job in providing a fresh perspective on one of the region's most recurrent and controversial political phenomena. Its breadth of theory and empirical case studies mean that it will be a must-read not only for researchers interested in populism, but also for anyone interested in the politics of the poor and marginalized more generally."

Kirk A. Hawkins

"This is an excellent edited volume on populism in Latin America, one that nicely updates the scholarly literature on the region. It facilitates a much broader scholarly conversation that is long overdue and provides a timely description of all of the best-known, recent populist movements in the region, while situating these in a longer trajectory of populism."

Steven Levitsky

"De la Torre and Arnson bring together an outstanding cast of contributors to examine the causes of populism and its various—and double-edged—consequences for democracy. More than any other book on the subject, Latin American Populism in the Twenty-first Century spans historical eras, from the 'classical' populism of the 1930s and 1940s, to 'neoliberal' populism of the 1990s, to the more radical forms of populism that emerged in the contemporary era. For this reason, it is likely to be of enduring value for students of Latin American politics."

From the Publisher

This is an excellent edited volume on populism in Latin America, one that nicely updates the scholarly literature on the region. It facilitates a much broader scholarly conversation that is long overdue and provides a timely description of all of the best-known, recent populist movements in the region, while situating these in a longer trajectory of populism.
—Kirk A. Hawkins, Brigham Young University

De la Torre and Arnson bring together an outstanding cast of contributors to examine the causes of populism and its various—and double-edged—consequences for democracy. More than any other book on the subject, Latin American Populism in the Twenty-first Century spans historical eras, from the 'classical' populism of the 1930s and 1940s, to 'neoliberal' populism of the 1990s, to the more radical forms of populism that emerged in the contemporary era. For this reason, it is likely to be of enduring value for students of Latin American politics.
—Steven Levitsky, Harvard University

Latin American Populism in the Twenty-first Century does a remarkable job in providing a fresh perspective on one of the region's most recurrent and controversial political phenomena. Its breadth of theory and empirical case studies mean that it will be a must-read not only for researchers interested in populism, but also for anyone interested in the politics of the poor and marginalized more generally.
—Philip Oxhorn, McGill University

Editorial Reviews

This volume uses a well-defined methodological approach that sets it off from the vast scholarly literature on the topic of Latin American populism. . . The volume's comparative approach, both in national and continent-wide contexts, leads to valuable insights that will most likely serve as points of reference for future research and debate.
—Steve Ellner, Hispanic American Historical Review

It is a must-read for both younger students and experienced academics because it manages to combine its informative aspects with concrete and in-depth theoretical and empirical analysis
—Political Studies Review

From the Publisher

It is a must-read for both younger students and experienced academics because it manages to combine its informative aspects with concrete and in-depth theoretical and empirical analysis

Political Studies Review

This volume uses a well-defined methodological approach that sets it off from the vast scholarly literature on the topic of Latin American populism. . . The volume's comparative approach, both in national and continent-wide contexts, leads to valuable insights that will most likely serve as points of reference for future research and debate.

Hispanic American Historical Review - Steve Ellner