Empowerment Without a Plan

A long respected intellectual in Bolivia, currently frustrated with the country’s social movement turned political party, MAS, recently articulated what she saw as the revolution’s shortcomings. She seemed to think president Evo Morales and his party were extremely well equipped to empower the people based on identity – constantly valuing and affirming women, the role of citizen, and most prominently the indigenous person: Bolivia’s long oppressed majority. They do so even at the expense of phobia towards intellectuals and policy experts, labeling them as part of the oligarchic elite. But the party’s big shortcoming is, “they have no plan to govern,” she told me. She didn’t seem to think natural resource nationalization, and attempting to re-write the constitution in favor of indigenous rights was much of a plan I suppose.

Not knowing how to defend the dream political party I’ve built MAS up to be, I threw down my defenses. And that’s when it hit me. “Hmmm, I can relate to that,” I thought. I too feel newly empowered in who I am, finally able to use my degree in international affairs after a year working outside the field, wondering if I ever would. I finally feel peace with my affinity toward yoga and other practices after months of apprehension thinking they might cheapen my Christian faith. And just as the indigenous campesinos here feel validated by the election of an indigenous president, I admit I too feel some of that confirmation by having the opportunity to come to Bolivia after wanting to for so long.

But my friend says, knowing who you are is not the same as a plan. She insists when ethnic powers flipped in South Africa and India, Mandela and Gandhi had plans. The only plan I have for my time here is to be brave and feel it out. I wonder if Evo, with his high school diploma, has the same idea.

I’ve noticed one of Senator Clinton’s favorite catchphrases is something about hard work. “Together we’ll do the hard work of governing,” she often says. It must be this “hard work” that my intellectual friend thinks MAS failed to anticipate in the heat of their social movement. I think for MAS and me the hard work is a matter of recognition verses realization. MAS has recognized the oppressed, now they have to realize a government that will work for the whole country. I made it here, now I’ve got to get to work.