Self-Placement in Latin America: Who Self-Places on the Left?

Abstract With the gradual change of the left-right paradigm in Latin America, it is difficult to define what policies comprise the leftist position today. In 1990, during the time of the collapse of the communist bloc, the extreme poles of left-right ideologies converged to the center. Yet individuals continue to self-place themselves on the left. Who are these individuals? And is there still room for leftist leanings in Latin America? First, this paper provides a summary of what left-right policies once meant in three Latin America countries. Second it discusses what other scholars have said about left self-placement in Latin America. Next, it takes into account the gradual change the left has experienced, and what it might denote to be the ?New Left? of Latin America. This paper is a test of my hypotheses that concludes that in some countries class differences and certain views on issues are still significant factors to determine left-right ideologies. The conclusion of the paper examines how socio-economic conditions can affect how certain policies will be accepted or rejected. This paper concludes by discussing how identifying on the left does not necessarily signify that it offers alternative polices from the status quo. However, regardless of the convergence to the center, there perhaps may be room for some radical thought in contemporary Latin American politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]