Ciao!

Miguel, you are at the forefront of software development. I just read your post and have understood it halfway. And it only is two paragraphs. Batch tag, automator, spotlight, tiger, smart folder, brilliantdays, wow, what's all that. ;-)

Have you already written the theoretical chapters of your Diss.?

Cool notebook. Do I understand it well? are you prescribing to the theory that divides Bolivian modern history into a pre and post Chaco War perods? And that everything that's happening now is a direct result of the Chaco War? A researcher with whom I work with was telling me about this theory. Unfortunately, right now I don't remember the name of the guy.

In my readings, I haven't found evidence of such thesis.

Also, I thought the fascists were the Falange and not the MNR. Estensoro and Siles and the MNR were populists.

Well, I'm certainly NOT on the forefront of any new software development. But it's cool that the new Mac OS makes me feel that way! ;-)

As to your comment on the Chaco War. No, I don't think everything that's happening now is a result (direct or otherwise) of the Chaco War. Rather, I agree w/ lots of people who consider the Chaco War as a defining moment in Bolivian history, and the beginning of the "modern" or "Nationalist" period. After all, the Chaco War gave birth to the POR & the MNR (and other parties). W/o the Chaco War, there might not have been a 1952 Revolution, etc. But that's it. I'm just using that short bit to introduce the section on the National Revolution and its impact.

Of course, I do think that the Chaco War was also a moment of national myth-making (which fits into my argument in Chapter 3 on nationalisms as "imagined communities"), especially since many of the central myths of Bolivian nationalism are actually just WRONG facts that are now commonly accepted (e.g. Bolivia actually started the Chaco war, a war Paraguay didn't want, and a war Standard Oil had little or nothing to do w/).

From there, I just want to sketch out how from 1940s to near-present, there's been a common national mythology and accepted reality that most Bolivians held. And that the recent problems are a reaction to the new institutional space/incentives available for "nationalist entreprenuers" to foster new competiting nationalisms.

Also, the MNR wasn't a fully "fascist" party, but it had fascist sympathies (as did many parties) during the late 1930s & early 1940s. Mostly w/ Italian corporatism, rather than German anti-semitism (although that was present, too). But, yes, the FSB was the true fascist party (still is), and the MNR soon become something of a weird mix of corporatism-populism and milddle-class plus labor alliance.

As for the theoretical chapters. Most of them are close to finished. Chapter 1 is missing a few bits here/there. Chapter 2 is scattered all over various drafts. Chapter 3 is the one that I've not yet really worked on, and it'll come right after I finish up Chapter 4, so I know where I'm headed w/ the nationalism thing a bit more clearly.

I hope that answers at least some of your questions.

One last thing, I just meant that understanding the 1952 National Revolution requires understanding the birth of the MNR, which requires understanding how the Chaco War destroyed the previous social structure (which changed little since independence).

The Chaco War was the costliest war ever fought, especially in terms of manpower. The total casualty rate (25%) was as high as the rate for the European powers during the First World War (!!) and just shattered the middle class (who provided junior, front-line officers) confidence in the social order. Essentially, it's like the rise of fascism and the Second World War: you can't explain it w/o looking at how devastating the First World War was.

That's really all the mileage I'm getting from the Chaco War. The 3-5 paras will be the only things mentioned about it (except in passing) in the whole 300-page work.

very useful links there. thank you!

Just one more word: Interesting. :-)