Mexican Left

The Balance Might be Changed

Some have talked about what's happening in Mexico in
terms of "dual power." Leon Trotsky used that term in
his History of the Russian Revolution to describe what
happens when a rising social class creates new and
alternative institutions of social power. So far we
have not seen that happen in Mexico where a real power,
the Mexican state, confronts Lopez Obrador and the CND,
an important political and social movement, but not a
movement that has been built upon or yet given rise to
alternative institutions of governance that represent a
second power. Nor is it clear that Lopez Obrador has
the will or the capacity to create them. What he has
created is a mass movement on the left with a radical
rhetoric, a movement made up of people who yearn for a
new society of democracy and social justice. While his
rhetoric promises revolution, his actions suggest a
militant struggle for reform, which is not therefore to
be discounted. Within that struggle for reform, genuine
revolutionary voices and forces may develop.

All of that having been said, social movements,
especially if they begin to have some success can grow
rapidly, and unfolding events can force them to change
their character. The balance of forces can shift
rapidly and radically under the right circumstances.
The power of mass movements has played a significant
role in the change of governments in Latin America in
the last decade. So, while Lopez Obrador and the PRD
may not yet have sufficient strength, a mistake by the
government could suddenly give a lift to the opposition
movement.

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MEXICAN LABOR NEWS AND ANALYSIS September 2006, Vol.
11, No. 9

About Mexican Labor News and Analysis

Mexican Labor News and Analysis (MLNA) is produced in
collaboration with the Authentic Labor Front (Frente
Autentico del Trabajo FAT) of Mexico and the United
Electrical Workers (UE) of the United States, and with
the support of the Resource Center of the Americas in
Minneapolis, Minnesota. MLNA can be viewed at the UE's
international web site: www.ueinternational.org


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