The radical left in government: deepening and constraining democracy in Venezuela and Bolivia

Abstract

The aim of this article is to explore the radical left in government in Latin America, particular in Venezuela and Bolivia, and to what extent the achieved political and socio-economic policies accomplished by the governments have contributed to deepening democracy, either related to the concept of liberal democracy or participatory democracy. It is argued that democracy both has been weakening and deepening. On the one hand, democracy has been weakening, to some extent, if we measure democracy as equivalent to liberal democratic institutions such as elections, political freedoms and accountability, particular in the case of Venezuela. However, on the other hand, it can be argued that new participatory dimensions have increased, resulting in deepening of democracy, for example as in Bolivia. Still, all radical left administrations are facing several obstacles to overcome in order to deepen democracy, both when it comes to develop democratic institutions in accordance with the liberal as well as the participatory traditions.