Latin America's Left Turns: an introduction

Abstract

In the wake of a series of electoral victories, often dubbed a ‘pink tide’ by the media, there has seldom been a moment more propitious for the diverse parties, movements and leaders of the Latin American Left. Yet the Left faces daunting challenges, and the diversity of responses to these challenges suggests that there is not one but many left turns. This article, like the collection of essays that it introduces, critiques conventional distinctions between ‘populist’ and ‘social democratic’ currents of the Latin American Left, and argues that the left turns are best described as a multiplicity of disparate efforts to reopen or re-found the constitutional order or social pact. These efforts reveal deep-seated tensions between the Latin American Left and liberalism. The analysis reviews these tensions as well as some of the central policy challenges facing progressive governments and the relationships between social movements and political representation.

Notes

This essay, and the collection that it introduces, emerged from a project of the University of British Columbia and Simon Fraser University designed to illuminate the origins, nature and implications of Latin America's left turns. It is an abbreviated version of a chapter to be included in a collaborative volume currently under review.

1 Indeed, evidence presented by Luna and Filgueira in this issue of the journal highlights the degree to which the performance of incumbents determines their prospects for remaining in office.

2 B Arditi, ‘Arguments about the left turn(s) in Latin America: a post liberal politics?’, Latin American Research Review, 43 (3), 2008, pp 59–81.

3 C Lomnitz, ‘Latin America's rebellion: will the new left set a new agenda?’, Boston Review, September/October 2006.

4 Arditi, ‘Arguments about the left turn(s) in Latin America’, p 62.