In The Process Of Modernization Of Latin American Populism

Although populism in its myriad forms has appeared in many parts of the world, its most indelible imprint may be on the political landscape in Latin America. This article suggests that populism in Latin America should be defined as a political strategy that is directed by the process of political and economic modernization in Latin America. The golden era for Latin American populism is usually cited as the 1930s to the 1960s and identified with many preeminent populists. Since the 1980s Latin America has unexpectedly witnessed a round of neopopulism, with an expansion of the possibilities for popular political practice. In Latin America, populism has encompassed many forms, but all have shared qualities of being urban-based, multiclass coalitional, hierarchical and nonrevolutionary. Populism, it is clear, is a more enduring feature of Latin America's political landscape than once imagined.