Description
Book SynopsisThomas Grisaffi traces the political ascent and transformation of the Movement toward Socialism (MAS) from an agricultural union of coca growers into Bolivia's ruling party, showing how the realities of international politics hindered MAS leader Evo Morales from scaling up the party's form of grassroots democracy to the national level.
Trade Review"By combining ethnographic insight with structural analysis, the book makes an important methodological contribution, one that demands a closer dialogue between the fields of critical anthropology and global political economy. ...
Coca Yes, Cocaine No is a terrific success that will prove indispensable for critical-minded students and researchers of contemporary Latin American politics and society." -- Manuel Larrabure * American Journal of Sociology *
"In this vivid ethnographic account, Grisaffi shows how Bolivian coca growers grew from a criminalized union to a strong social movement with a vernacular vision of 'radical democracy.' ... A fascinating case study [that] shows that the conditions for realization of alternative democracies locally are always linked to broader political economic forces." -- Amy Kennemore and Nancy Postero * European Review of Latin American and Caribbean Studies *
"Grisaffi’s book is required reading for anyone interested in contemporary Bolivian politics." -- Miguel Centellas * Bulletin of Latin American Research *
“Thomas Grisaffi’s engaging ethnography argues that in the Chapare region of Bolivia, the cocalero (coca growers) union has developed an innovative form of grassroots democracy.
Coca Yes, Cocaine No achieves the rare feat of speaking meaningfully to both undergraduate readers and scholars (of Latin American studies, anthropology, social movements, and political theorists) and I expect it will be adopted widely for undergraduate and graduate courses.” -- Miriam Shakow * Mobilization *
“
Coca Yes, Cocaine No is a valuable resource for anyone interested in the relations between local and national forms of governance and democracy, and particularly for anyone who wishes to understand democracy in Bolivia during Morales’ presidency.” -- Jonathan Alderman * Journal of Latin American Studies *
“In addition to the quality of his writing and clarity of his argument, the judicious and continuous integration of primary data makes this book captivating and vivid. Through ethnographic vignettes and detailed descriptions of the relationships between the author and the actors of his research, Grisaffi manages to bring the atmosphere of the Chapare region to life for the reader…. This study [is] a significant contribution to the fields of Latin American Studies and drug politics—a topic of keen importance, which can shed light on other relevant issues, such as the depenalization and legalization of cannabis use in countries such as Uruguay and the USA.” -- Patrick Naef * Journal of Anthropological Research *
“This complex and interesting book makes a very important contribution to scholarship on grassroots democracy, indigenous movements, the war on drugs in the Americas and Latin American politics.” -- Waskar T. Ari-Chachaki * Journal of Iberian and Latin American Research *
Table of ContentsAcknowledgments vii
Introduction: To Lead by Obeying 1
1. The Rise of the Coca Unions 27
2. The Lowest Rung of the Cocaine Trade 58
3. Self-Governing in the Chapare 84
4. From Class to Ethnicity 109
5. Community Coca Control 128
6. The Unions and Local Government 150
7. The Coca Union's Radio Station 173
Conclusion 192
Notes 203
References 215
Index 249
