LA in the 21st century Flashcards
(17 cards)
What political shifts framed the rise of the Washington Consensus?
End of dictatorships in South America, decline of revolutionary movements in Central America, Cold War’s end, collapse of USSR-Cuba trade, and China’s emergence.
What were the key economic issues in Latin America in the 1980s?
Debt crisis (“lost decade”), growing inequality, decline of the Cuban model, and dominance of neoliberalism under TINA (“There Is No Alternative”).
What were the core principles of neoliberalism?
Deregulation, reduction of state intervention, free trade, export orientation, austerity, and foreign investment attraction.
What is the Washington Consensus?
A set of neoliberal reforms promoted by institutions like the IMF, World Bank, and Inter-American Development Bank via Structural Adjustment Programs (SAPs).
Which countries adopted Washington Consensus reforms?
Chile: Neoliberal pioneer
Brazil: F. H. Cardoso shifts from Marxism
Argentina: Menem adopts neoliberalism
Mexico: PRI supports NAFTA
Bolivia: Paz Estenssoro returns with neoliberal policies
Mercosur (1995): Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay + Bolivia
What were the effects of Washington Consensus reforms?
Expanded middle class, but increased inequality, informal economies, infrastructure growth, and rising dissatisfaction with neoliberalism.
What was the Pink Tide?
A leftist political wave (1998–2015) advocating post-neoliberalism through elections and protest, rejecting the Washington Consensus (at least in discourse).
What were the Pink Tide’s political strategies?
Combining elections with extraparliamentary action, implementing mixed economies, and redistributive social policies.
How were redistributive policies funded?
Through commodity export revenues during the boom, used for cash-transfer programs that reduced poverty and inequality.
What is the “Compensatory State” (Gudynas)?
- High commodity prices and strategic resource reserves = revenues from commodity export
- Revenues finance social programs = decrease inequality, popular support
- Volatility of global markets (end of the commodity boom) = intensify extractive industries
- Increase and intensification socio-ecological conflicts
- Repression and criminalization of social movements
“neo-extractivism” = development model based on extraction > 2) export commodities > 3) using revenue to improve living conditions
What is “neo-extractivism”?
A development strategy centered on exporting natural resources to fund social programs—used in countries like Venezuela (oil).
What led to the Pink Tide’s decline?
Electoral defeats, coups, growing right-wing forces, and loss of commodity revenue.
What marked Bolivia’s neoliberal era (1985–2000)?
1985: “New Economic Policy” under Paz Estenssoro (MNR) to confront deep crisis
1990: Indigenous March for Territory and Dignity
President ‘Goni’ Sánchez de Lozada (1993-1997, 2002-2003): Neoliberal regime with institutionalized ‘multiculturalism’
What triggered Bolivia’s political shift in 2000–2003?
Plans to privatise water (2000) and gas (2003) triggers massive social protest
Elections 2005 won by Evo Morales (Movement towards Socialism - MAS) - ‘unity pact’ between social movements and government
“the process of change” 2000-2019
2006-2007: Constituent Assembly with wide citizen participation → 2009 “Plurinational State”: Decolonization as central framework
Pragmatic economic approach despite radical discourse, e.g. nationalisation v. renegotiation of extractive industries
Rising tensions over regional autonomy between Andean highlands and rich lowlands
Increase national income per capita, decrease international debt and extreme poverty
What limited the compensatory and decolonial state in Bolivia?
2009-2011, rupture of the unity pact (social movements– government) over TIPNIS conflict: economic model v “Buen Vivir” discourse….
Dependence on extractive industries, ideological tensions (e.g. TIPNIS conflict), and a shift from emancipatory politics to state control.
What happened after Morales’ controversial 2019 re-election?
Morales was ousted; Jeannine Añez 2019-2020 served as interim president, followed by Luis Arce’s election 2025. The country now faces economic and political crises.
