Radical Left-Wing Political Regimes in the Context of the Latin American "Left Turn"

Abstract

The chapter is to analyzes the similarities and differences within the broad group of the self-described left-wing governments in Latin America, with Venezuela being the pivot of the analysis. The main goal of the chapter is to define the character of the change that was brought by left wing governments in the region: Is there a change of state, of regime, of political system, or of the government? The chapter offers a Weberian ideal type typology of the leftist governments radical, restrained, limited and moderate.

Then it deals with the cases defined as the radical governments and the changes that were brought by them. These cases are: Ecuador, Bolivia and Venezuela.

Keywords

• Latin America
• left-wing governments
• regime change
• radical left
• Venezuela
• Ecuador
• Bolivia