Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Communitarian Socialism in Bolivia

by Roger Burbach from Bolivia Rising. The article presents a balanced view of the development of Bolivian economy and society. Is "communitarian socialism" for real, or merely propaganda to cover for a state capitalism? You decide.
“We organize ourselves in the communities. In Bolivia there must be around ten thousand communities, and in each community there is a union of campesino workers. Each union has a base that is associated first on a provincial level, and then on a departmental and national level. The national level is the Sole Union Confederation of Campesino Workers of Bolivia (CSUTCB). They are not naturally existing organizations, but organizations that helped allow us to assert our demands and participate in elections. There are several organized sectors with similar structures, such as the teachers, the miners, the indigenous groups, women, factory workers. And we have a mother organization, which is the Bolivian Workers Central (COB). These are the people’s organizations. President Evo Morales has called for strengthening them, since they are the agents driving this process of change.”