Bolivia's radical tradition : permanent revolution in the Andes /

Bolivian Trotskyism as a historical and a contemporary movement has not received sufficient scholarly attention. That is, until now. In this first book-length treatment, John (CUNY) meticulously analyzes the origins, internal dynamics, and trajectory of Bolivia's Trotskyist Revolutionary Workers Party (POR, founded 1935) and its factional spinoffs. Drawing on interviews and an impressive array of archival sources from multiple Bolivian and international sites, John highlights the instrumental role of a vanguard of radical intellectuals (Tristan Marof, Jose Aguirre Gainsborg, Guillermo Lora, et al.) in the dissemination of Trotskyism among indigenous miners and peasants. He underscores the influence of the Trotskyist Thesis of Pulacayo (1946) on mineworkers' politics and its resonance with current social movements. Another significant contribution is the author's examination of the tensions within Bolivian Trotskyism over participation in the post-1952 MNR government, nationalist politics, and deviation at times from Trotsky's theory of permanent revolution and the policies of the Fourth International. Some readers may take issue with John's unabashed sympathy for Trotskyism, adoption of a minimalist definition of Trotskyist political identification, and overstated claims of Bolivian Trotskyism's responsiveness to indigenous realities and culture. Lucidly written and beautifully illustrated with rare photographs and images. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-level undergraduates to specialists. S. J. Hirsch University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg