Surviving Capitalism (Not) : Social Tensions Erupt in Bolivia

We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Social Tensions Erupt in Bolivia

by Frederico Fuentes from Upside Down World.

A common problem faced with all new revolutionary governments is staffing their government agencies with trained people. This was experienced by the Russian Revolution in 1917 when they had to use many holdovers from the Czarist government. This has been pointed out as a problem for the Chavez revolution in Venezuela. See this and this. Now this phenomenon appears to be causing problems for real changes in Bolivia.

In many cases, due to the lack of trained professionals in the peasant and indigenous organisations, Morales was forced to rely on “invitees” from the already existing state bureaucracy to run the government.

Most of Morales’ first cabinet came from these sectors, causing concern among the founding organisations of the MAS, who felt they were not being treated as they should be, with quotas in the government.

...Now in government, many of these groups began to view the MAS as a vehicle to access employment in the public service, just as the middle classes did with their parties when they were in power.

Also, see this.