Ideology and Social Improvement in Bolivia during the 20th Century

<div><p class="AbstractParagraphsGold">This essay relates improvements in social indicators in Bolivia during the Twentieth Century to ideological changes during the same period. During the Twentieth Century, most social indicators improved dramatically in Bolivia. Separately,...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Brian Norris
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University Library System, University of Pittsburgh 2012-02-01
Series:Bolivian Studies Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:http://bsj.pitt.edu/ojs/index.php/bsj/article/view/32
Description
Summary:<div><p class="AbstractParagraphsGold">This essay relates improvements in social indicators in Bolivia during the Twentieth Century to ideological changes during the same period. During the Twentieth Century, most social indicators improved dramatically in Bolivia. Separately, scholars have vigorously debated ideologies, such as neoliberalism and its macroeconomic competitors, and the potential social impact of these ideologies. Despite the separate emphases on ideas and social outcomes, no systematic attempt has been made by scholars of Bolivia to link long&ndash;term ideological change to long&ndash;term social improvement in the country. This essay argues that it is probable that such a relationship exists, but it is important to consider mass ideology, which affects the whole of Bolivian society, in addition to elite ideology, which affects a much more limited portion of society.</p><div><p class="AbstractParagraphsBlue"><em>Este ensayo relaciona las mejoras en indicadores sociales en Bolivia durante el siglo XX con cambios ideol&oacute;gicos registrados durante el mismo periodo. Durante el siglo XX la mayor&iacute;a de los indicadores sociales mejoraron dram&aacute;ticamente en Bolivia. Los especialistas han debatido vigorosamente&nbsp; la relaci&oacute;n de estas mejoras con ideolog&iacute;as tales como el neoliberalismo y sus competidores macroecon&oacute;micos, discutiendo su potencial impacto social. Sin embargo, pese al &eacute;nfasis otorgado a la relaci&oacute;n de las ideas con los resultados sociales, no ha habido ninguna tentativa sistem&aacute;tica por parte de los especialistas de &nbsp;relacionar el cambio ideol&oacute;gico de largo plazo con las mejoras sociales de largo plazo en el pa&iacute;s. Este ensayo sostiene que es probable que tal relaci&oacute;n exista, pero para visibilizarla es importante considerar la ideolog&iacute;a de masas, que afecta al conjunto de la sociedad boliviana, adem&aacute;s de la ideolog&iacute;a de la &eacute;lite, que afecta a una porci&oacute;n mucho m&aacute;s limitada de la sociedad.</em></p></div><p class="AbstractParagraphsGold">&nbsp;</p></div>
ISSN:1074-2247
2156-5163