Popular Resistance to Globalization and Neoliberalism in Latin America

Abstract

Popular resistance to globalization and neoliberalism in Latin America is extensive and has been increasing both in scale and intensity. The polyarchic neoliberal regimes in Latin America have responded to this increasing popular resistance by relying on two types of measures: (1) tactical measures aimed at suppressing eruptions of popular resistance; and (2) more strategic measures aimed at preventing or at least maintaining within manageable limits the growing resistance to their policies. The United States Government and the main international financial institutions operating in the region have played a major role in both developing the second type of measures and assisting most of the Latin American governments to implement these measures. This essay examines the increasing popular resistance to neoliberal policies and capitalist globalization in Latin America; the responses of the existing neoliberal regimes and their backers to this increasing resistance; and the alternatives to polyarchy, neoliberalism and capitalist globalization that are emerging in the region.

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