Yakovleva Nailya Magitovna – PhD in History, Leading Researcher, Institute of Latin America RAS Yakovlev Petr Pavlovich – ScD in Economics, Chief Researcher, INION RAN
The article examines the evolution of the protest movement in Latin America in the XXI century. The Authors analyze the causes of increased civic activism, give examples of country cases. It is noted that mass demonstrations in the region are an integral part of the global process. For the first time in Russian Latin American studies, the concept of wave-like development of social anti-elite protests is put forward. It is emphasized that public protests have been accompanying the political process in Latin America for several decades, are an integral part of it, an indicator of existing problems, an important essential characteristic. Among the reasons for the main protests, are economic contradictions, intolerant property inequality, lack of life prospects,an increase in social frustration, the gap between the government and society, the conflict between the elites themselves, ethnic or racial oppression. In particular, in a number of countries in the region, the Indian factor is clearly manifested. All this can generate social tension, become an occasion for protests, cause anti-government actions and clashes with law enforcement forces, and significantly affect the behavioral models of Latin Americans. Often there is such a phenomenon as the layering of various protests one on top of another, which makes the composition of protesters socially (or ethnically) heterogeneous. Since the term ”protest movement“ was established in Russian scientific literature recently (in the second half of the 1990s), the study of this social phenomenon remains a relatively new sphere of Russian social science. To cover the topic in this article, the authors have applied, among others, the following scientific approaches. First, the concept of social deprivation, which helps to reveal the causes of the surge in civic activism and protests. Secondly, the theory of collective action, which focuses on the forms of protest behavior, political and psychological characteristics of those groups of the population that embark on the path of struggle with the authorities.
Latin America, populism, economic crisis, social policy, determinants of civic activity, mass movements, forms and potential of protests
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