Hugo Chávez and the Bolivarian Revolution: Populism and Democracy in a Globalised Age

Front Cover
Manchester University Press, Jan 15, 2010 - Political Science - 240 pages
The emergence of Hugo Chávez in Venezuela has revived analysis of one of Latin America’s most enduring political traditions -- populism. Yet Latin America has changed since the heyday of Perón and Evita. Globalization, implemented through harsh IMF inspired Structural Adjustment Programs, has taken hold throughout the region and democracy is supposedly the "only game in town." This book examines the phenomenon that is Hugo Chávez within these contexts, assessing to what extent his government fits into established ideas on populism in Latin America. The book also provides a comprehensive and critical analysis of Chávez’s emergence, his government’s social and economic policies, its foreign policy, as well as assessing the charges of authoritarianism brought against him. Written in clear, accessible prose, the book carries debate beyond current polarised views on the Venezuelan president, to consider the prospects of the new Bolivarian model surviving beyond its leader and progenitor, Hugo Chávez.

Other editions - View all

About the author (2010)

Barry Cannon is a Post-doctoral Fellow at the School of Law and Government, Dublin City University

Bibliographic information