MAS meltdown

10.26.2006

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MAS — which isn't really a "party" (in the institutionalized sense) but rather a broad coalition of different social movements — seems headed for a meltdown. The latest episode occurred yesterday as masistas battled each other in La Paz yesterday over their pegas ("spoils" jobs).

Earlier this week, Evo conceded to MAS protests that not enough of the public bureaucracy jobs were held by MAS members. The masistas were demanding that sitting public functionaries be fired & replaced by MAS loyalists. Evo agreed, initiating a study of the bureaucracy to see who was/wasn't loyal to the MAS platform. Essentially, an ideological purge.

But this wasn't enough. Now masistas are fighting among themselves for available jobs in the state bureaucracy. Largely, there's complaint that many of the current MAS "members" are actually transfugos (people who left one party to join another). This is no doubt true, since MAS' success in 2005 election was in large factor a measure of middle class support — including former local activists & intellectuals previously aligned w/ other parties.

The critical problem is twofold: First, this in-fighting looks bad, is divisive, and suggests that MAS is no different than the "traditional parties" they've criticized (prebendalist, clientelistic, and personalist). Second, because of the class composition of the "grass roots" elements w/in MAS (the activists who joined the movement before 2002-2005), few long-time masistas have the technical proficiency or skills to run state bureaucracies (and if they do, they'll strip the MAS-aligned sindicatos of veteran leadership, unless they retain those positions simultaneously, which is technically illegal).

But if MAS rejects its (new) middle class component, it risks isolating itself from middle class allies who made their victory in 2005 possible. And what kind of disruption will happen if large numbers of public bureaucrats are summarily dismissed & replaced w/ inexperienced replacements whose only qualification is their loyalty to Evo & the MAS hierarchy. It's been a long, hard fight to try to professionalize & depoliticize the public bureaucracy — which is a requirement for any kind of efficient state. This would be a significant step backwards. Perhaps even two or three steps backwards.

Posted by Miguel at 11:40 AM

Comments

On one hand, it's deplorable how the battle for these pegas have turned nasty. However, part of me understands why they are such in demand. Each week, it seems like someone I know and care about are looking for ways out of the country. Things are a dead end for many people and many see these government jobs as a safety net. I am with you, that an efficient public sector built on merits and professionalism is one step towards a better democracy, but this is only one way to a better life and I can see why it so sought after.

Posted by: eduardo at October 27, 2006 09:26 PM

I completely agree. However, I think part of the problem is that many consistenly view the state as the source of all solutions — including solutions to personal problems (e.g. mothers protesting in front of Palacio Quemado because their children weren't admitted into this or that private school). This will only get worse if Bolivia becomes a rentier state. Instead, I would prefer that people turn to the private sector — and that the Bolivian state both encourage & discipline (through regulations) the private sector. Resource-poor societies (e.g. Taiwan, South Korea) have managed to build robust economies by turning to the private entrepreneurial sector. I think that's a better long-term solution than pegas & state clientelism.

Posted by: mcentellas [TypeKey Profile Page] at October 28, 2006 11:24 AM

Nice article, we are all waiting what will happen next, it seems Bolivia is taking many steps backwards to the 1980's when state-run companies eventually bankrupted the bolivian treasury because of larger than needed payrolls and lack of mangerial expertisse in some critical areas.

Posted by: Daniel at October 30, 2006 07:05 PM