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Interest group dynamics in a weak and transitional state: the case of Bolivia
Author(s) -
Biggemann Sergio,
Klimovich Kristina,
Thomas Clive S.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of public affairs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.221
H-Index - 20
eISSN - 1479-1854
pISSN - 1472-3891
DOI - 10.1002/pa.1546
Subject(s) - indigenous , democracy , politics , interest group , state (computer science) , population , political economy , power (physics) , group (periodic table) , sociology , political science , development economics , economic system , economics , law , demography , mathematics , ecology , chemistry , physics , organic chemistry , algorithm , quantum mechanics , biology
Bolivia's political development has been characterized by elitist control set in an environment of political instability and a weak decentralized state. Since the 1980s and Bolivia's transition to a limited form of democracy, this elitist control has been successfully challenged from the left and, since the early 2000s, particularly by the indigenous population. In fact, Bolivian contemporary politics and interest group activity have been shaped mainly by the rise in political power of the left and indigenous interests. This rise, given a weak state transitioning to limited democracy, has had several consequences for interest group activity that add increasing complexity to the group system. One consequence of Bolivia's course of political development is that, although it exhibits many common elements of interest group activity explained by existing group theories, aspects of its group development are not adequately accounted for by these theories. In addition, there are questions about whether the new configuration of interest groups promotes or undermines democracy. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.