Chapter Three - “Bolivia: Hoping This One Will Be Different”
In July 2006, Judy spent five weeks in Bolivia. The experience opened her mind to a whole different way of thinking about politics. She was lucky enough to interview President Evo Morales and some of his key cabinet ministers. The combination of indigenous ideas and traditions with militant left-wing politics was a heady combination that seemed at the time to present a new approach to change rooted in ancient traditions.
“When right-wing thugs started attacking MAS Constituent Assembly members in the fall of 2007, instead of sending in the army, Morales called on the social organizations to mobilize, and they responded in their masses, backing off the violent opposition through their greater numbers. This is a peaceful revolution, the likes of which we have never really seen before. So far they have resisted violence themselves, even though they control the instruments of state violence, the army and the police. Understanding that there will be extreme opposition to this deep a transformation, the leadership of the MAS relies on the strength of an organized populace rather than the armed might of the state. On the other hand, they reject the idea that change can be gradual, and employ the same instruments used by the neo-liberal state.”
Related Links:
Relevant Blog Entries:
http://transformingpower.ca/en/category/book-chapters/chapter-three
Judy blogged during her trip Bolivia. You can read her blog here: http://judyrebick.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_archive.html
She also took a lot of photographs and they are available here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/90042597@N00/sets/72157613198743985/
African National Congress (ANC)
http://www.anc.org.za/
ALBA (Bolivarian Alternative for the People of Our America)
http://www.alternativabolivariana.org/
Alternatives (NGO)
http://www.alternatives.ca/rubrique25.html?lang=en
Blanco, Hugo
http://www.counterpunch.org/blanco08162007.html
Jones, Van
www.vanjones.net
MAS (Movement Towards Socialism)
http://www.masbolivia.org/, http://boliviarising.blogspot.com/
Obama, Barack
www.barackobama.com
Peter, Evon
http://www.evonpeter.net/
Wainwright, Hilary
http://www.redpepper.org.uk/
Zapatistas
http://www.zapatistarevolution.com/
Bowler Hats
In this chapter I say that no-one could explain to me why the women wear bowler hats. Guess I should have looked in Wikipedia, the source of all knowledge. A reader sent me this message on Facebook
rom Wikipedia: 'Aymara ethnic group' page:
Bowler hats have been worn by Quechua and Aymara women in Peru and Bolivia since the 1920s when supposedly a shipment of bowler hats was sent from Europe to Bolivia via Peru for use by Europeans who were working on the construction of the railroads. The hats were found to be too small and were distributed to locals. The luxurious, elegant and cosmopolitan Aymara Chola dress which is an icon to Bolivia (bowler hat, aguayo, heavy pollera, skirts, boots, jewelry, etc.) was born and evolved in Chukiago City and it is clearly not provincial but urban. The dress has become an ethnic symbol for the Aymara women. In addition, numerous Aymara live and work...
Thanks Rachel
Post new comment