As neoliberal policies continue to define the rules of the world economy, great signs of change are being witnessed in many progressive governments of Latin America that are rejecting the Washington Consensus in favour of democratic and people-oriented models of development based on greater regional integration, cooperation and economic justice.
Haiti's problems did not
start with the earthquake of January 2010, but are due to a long history of exploitation by external forces. Nowhere can this be seen more clearly than in the
manner in which the surviving victims of the earthquake continue to be treated in the country's 'tent
cities', writes Justin Frewen.
For the last twenty years, powerful political and economic interests in and around Haiti have worked to stifle the popular movement for social justice – Lavalas. The January earthquake triggered reactions that carried such measures to entirely new levels, writes Peter Hallward.
The unexpected death a few days ago of Nestor Kirchner deprived not
only Argentina of a remarkable, albeit controversial leader. It also
took away an exemplary figure in the Global South when it came to
dealing with international financial institutions. Kirchner defied the creditors. More importantly, he got away with it, writes Walden Bello.
Conflict between left-wing governments in Latin America and indigenous social movements is analogous to a wider debate in progressive politics. To create a just future, do we need constant economic growth or a change in civilizational values? By Immanuel Wallerstein.
Over the past four years, hundreds of thousands of Venezuelans have organised communal councils, which are involved in everything from providing basic services to cultural activities. Could this community-based revolution evolve into true participatory democracy? By Andrew Kennis.
Following Haiti’s devastating earthquake in January, a multitude of grassroots relief initiatives have emerged. These local responses reflect philosophies of solidarity, mutual aid and collective resilience, offering a different vision of what ‘humanitarian’ means, says a report by Other Worlds.
Financial liberalisation hands power to a "virtual senate" of investors and lenders, eroding faith in democratic institutions. In Latin America, a handful of countries that have rejected neoliberal reforms offer the prospect of an economic alternative, writes Noam Chomsky.
