Question

What can we conclude about democracy with reference to popular struggles and movements like Bolivian water war? Explain in detail.

Answer 1

Bolivia is a poor country in latin america. The world bank pressurized the govt to give up its control of muncipality water supply. The govt sold these rights for the city of cochabamba to a multi national company. The company immediately increased the price of water by 4x. Many people recieved a monthly water bill of a equivalent of rs1000 in acountry where the average income is around rs5000 a month.it led to a spontaneois popular protest.in jan 2005 a new alliance of labour, human rights and community leaders organised a successful four day general strikr in the city. The power of people forced the officials of MNC to flee the city and made the govt concede to all the demands of the protestors. The contact with the mnc was cancelled and water supply was restored to muncipaloty at old rates. This shows sometimes democracy trying to b3nefit its people can make there own people suffer.

Answer 2

Explanation:

Democracy evolves through popular struggles. It is possible that some significant decisions may take place through consensus and may not involve any conflict at all. But that would be an exception. Defining moments of democracy usually involve conflict between those groups who have exercised power and those who aspire for a share in power.

These moments come when the country is going through transition to democracy, expansion of democracy or deepening of democracy.

Democratic conflict is resolved through mass mobilisation. Sometimes it is possible that the conflict is resolved by using the existing institutions like the parliament or the judiciary.

These conflicts and mobilisations are based on new political organisations where there is an element of spontaneity in all such historic moments.

But the spontaneous public participation becomes effective with the help of organised politics.