Following events such as the Cochabamba Water War in Bolivia and the election of Hugo Chavez to the presidency in Venezuela, Latin American politics over the past two decades have been radicalized, their governments populated with former activists and trade union leaders. Yet, in the past few years, Latin America's left have suffered many setbacks and reactionary challenges, leading many to wonder whether the "Pink Tide" is now on the wane.
In this book, renowned Latin Americanist Mike Gonzalez explores the rocky course of the left in Latin American politics. Although the left-wing developments of the past twenty years have been widely celebrated by activists, Gonzalez cautions us to consider the problems and conflicts that have arisen during their tenure as well. Through critical examination of the failings of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, and Venezuela, Gonzalez is able to identify both weaknesses and strengths, and to suggest possible future pathways for the renewal of the left in nations across Latin America.
Providing a critical but sympathetic analysis of the records of the left governments across the continent, Gonzalez offers a refreshing reflection on the prospects and future of Latin American politics.
by Mike Gonzalez
Pluto Press
12/15/2018, paperback
SKU: 9780745399966
"To make sense of the degeneration of the Sandinista project in present day Nicaragua under Daniel Ortega, or the depths of the Venezuelan economic catastrophe under Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela, there are few better primers than The Ebb of the Pink Tide. This book provides some crucial foundations for the ongoing collective effort to contribute to Latin America's next cycle of emancipatory endeavours, from below and to the Left."
About the Author:
Mike Gonzalez is emeritus professor of Latin American studies at the University of Glasgow and the author, most recently, of The Last Drop: The Politics of Water, also published by Pluto Press.