Counter-Hegemonic Forces and the Bolivian Meltdown
Counter-Hegemonic Forces and the Bolivian Meltdown: a beggar seated upon a throne of gold (qtd in Morales 141) by Dennis Morgan PSC328 Fall 2003 Otherwise, the Bolivian president's advisers recalled him as saying, "I may be back here in a year, this time seeking political asylum." NEW YORK TIMES, 23 October 2003 The World Bank (WB) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) helped to create a counter-hegemonic force through the implementation of their Structural Adjustment Loans (SALs). Bolivia represents the latest example of a meltdown in government legitimacy in the developing world. Anti-globalization forces appear to gather their greatest strength around issues of natural resources and assets perceived as national wealth. Bolivia belongs to a unique national class of counter-hegemonic force. Government policies became tied to debt loads and not to any specific development strategy. The cost has been passed to those who can least affo...