I’m Miguel Centellas, a political science professor at Mount St. Mary’s University. Because of academic interests, I post frequently on Bolivian politics. I also occasionally discuss interesting books, pop culture, and daily life in Baltimore.
I don’t have time now to summarize the new phase of Bolivia’s political crisis (which included violence directed at the national police). But I think Costas overplayed his hand. He had a chance to use the results of the recall referendum as a springboard for a workable political compromise—which may still be on the table—but he opted instead to go for broke.
A key problem, of course, is that for several years now street violence (or at least the threat of street violence) has become the most common form of political expression. And because it’s “cheap” (you only need a few hundred or even dozens of thugs at any given moment) now all sides use it. The new “norms” of Bolivian politics are the opposite of consociationalism: the more aggressive one is, the more likely one is to win (if one doesn’t get crushed in the attempt). So it’s just a vicious spiral, w/ no immediate end in sight.
The irony’s that regional autonomy (of some kind or other) is pretty much a given at this point. The only issues left are what kind of autonomy & the exact nature of the autonomous units’ relationship to the central state. And, of course, who gets what economic resources (which is really what this is all about).
"But I think Costas overplayed his hand. He had a chance to use the results of the recall referendum as a springboard for a workable political compromise".
This is how entrenched power always expresses itself. This man and the culture he represents is utterly bankrupt.
Posted by
Steve
August 20, 2008 12:04 PM
Perhaps. But Evo, Solares, Quispe, and others have at times overplayed their hands, too. So I don't think it's limited to Costas & "the culture he represents" (whatever that means). I also think it's dangerous to equate all autonomy supporters w/ Costas & his close supporters.
Are you kidding me? You couldn't help yourself, could you?
Posted by
GS
August 20, 2008 10:29 PM
Perhaps. But Evo, Solares, Quispe, and others have at times overplayed their hands, too. So I don't think it's limited to Costas & "the culture he represents" (whatever that means). I also think it's dangerous to equate all autonomy supporters w/ Costas & his close supporters.
Culture he represents = 19th century colonialist attitudes.
And of course I don't confuse Costas with the rest of the autonomy movement. Autonomy as a goal and a process in Bolivia is of course legitimate - but the style of organization run by Marinkovic and Costas - well that is something to be stopped rather than accommodated.
Autonomy as movement, no problems. Movements headed by people like Costas and Marinkovic will get short-shrift from anyone with a basic sense of right and wrong.
Posted by
Steve
August 21, 2008 7:21 AM
@ Steve: I think I agree, Steve. I view Costas as the mirror image of Quispe.
@ GS: Actually, I'm not 100% behind consociationalism, either. But certainly the current political norms are the opposite of it.
Yes. Once I found out what that horrid term "consociationalism" means, I agree that current norms are opposite of that, but that was not my point.
My point was an exasperation at the use of such obscure terminology and a recognition that, being an academic, you probably couldn't help yourself. In short, it was an unsuccessful attemp, evidently, to poke fun....
Posted by
GS
August 21, 2008 11:32 AM
Oh, yeah. Sorry. But I did link to a the Wikipedia article! :-)
