From Naked Barbarism to Barbarism with Benefits: Neoliberal Capitalism, Natural Gas Policy, and the Evo Morales Government in Bolivia

Abstract

Evo Morales, leader of the Movimiento al Socialismo (Movement toward Socialism MAS), became President of Bolivia on January 22, 2006, following five years of massive protests by left-indigenous popular movements (Hylton and Thomson 2007; Webber 2005b).¹ While many left-wing intellectuals contend that the new administration represents a radical break with neoliberal capitalism (Borón 2005; Dieterich 2005; Lemoine 2005; Sader 2006; and Stefanoni and Do Alto 2006), this chapter demonstrates that there is little empirical evidence to support this view (see also CEDLA 2006; Lora 2006a and 2006b; Orellana Aillón 2006a and 2006b; Spronk 2007; Webber 2006a and 2006b; and Zibechi 2007). Indeed, in terms of its mining, agricultural, and labor market policies, and in its commitments to fiscal austerity, low-inflationary growth, and central bank independence, the Morales administration shows a considerable degree of continuity with the inherited neoliberal model. The economic framework of the new government takes for granted, and therefore depoliticizes, most of the foundational precepts of neoliberal economic management (Peck and Tickell 2002: 389).