HERAS GOMEZ, LAURA LETICIA

Red Mexicana de Repositorios Institucionales

Reseña de "Desafiando al Sistema, la izquierda política en México. Evolución organizativa, ideológica y electoral del Partido de la Revolución Democrática" de Igor Vivero Ávila

Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México

   Convergencia. Revista de Ciencias SocialesISSN: 1405-1435revistaconvergencia@yahoo.com.mxUniversidad Autónoma del Estado de MéxicoMéxicoHeras Gómez, Laura LeticiaReseña de "Desafiando al Sistema, la izquierda política en México. Evolución organizativa, ideológicay electoral del Partido de la Revolución Democrática" de Igor Vivero ÁvilaConvergencia. Revista de Ciencias Sociales, vol. 13, núm. 42, septiembre-diciembre, 2006, pp. 249-255Universidad Autónoma del Estado de MéxicoToluca, MéxicoAvailable in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=10504212   How to cite   Complete issue   More information about this article   Journal's homepage in redalyc.orgScientific Information SystemNetwork of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and PortugalNon-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiativeLaura Leticia Heras Gómez. Further the PRD: advances in the researchon the Mexican political left wing235ISSN 1405-1435, UAEM, Mexico, num. 42, September - December  2006,  pp 235-242CONVERGENCIARevista de Ciencias SocialesFurther the PRD: advances in the research on theMexican political left wingLaura Leticia Heras GómezUniversidad Autónoma del Estado de México, México / herasleticia@yahoo.com.mxVivero Ávila, Igor (2006), Desafiando al Sistema, la izquierda política enMéxico. Evolución organizativa, ideológica y electoral del Partido de laRevolución Democrática  (1989-2005), Porrúa-UAEM., México, 368 pp.ISBN 970-701-821-6236Convergencia, num. 42, Sept-Dec 2006, ISSN 1405-1435, UAEM, Mexicode la Revolución Democrática (PRD) and the political parties andorganizations that formed it have been the least studied in the wide rangeof  political parties in Mexico. There are several works and researches onthe PRI (Hernández, 1998; Garrido, 1994; Báez, 2001), several volumes onthe PAN (Loaeza, 1999; Misrahi, 1998), but there are few texts on PRD orthe Mexican left wing in general (Bartra, 1982; Bruhn, 1997, 1998; Carr,1996). The academy gets shyly toward the analysis of the political partiesafter 1988, when numerous approaches on the hegemonic system-party startcoming tolight, led by the works of  Giovanni Sartori (1980) principally.Gradually start the research on the old and new parties. Nonetheless, tothis approach a text that accounted for the origin, evolution, performanceand perspectives of  the Mexican transition heir, the PRD was missing. Thatis the reason why the book by Igor Vivero was, in the first place, definitelynecessary.In the second place, the decision of  studying, not only the PRD, butalso the Mexican left wing as a whole is, to say the least, notable. But doingit with such hardness and following step by step the most completetheoretical instruments is even more remarkable. The author carefully knitsthe theory with the object of  study, he does not leave any loose end; thecentral axes of the analysis are not left to the hazardous or free interpretationfrom the readers.  These are being accompanied throughout the text. Eachtheoretical proposal precedes the approach to reality. The approach istheoretical and allows creating new lights over such complex and intricatephenomena and as political parties can be, particularly those that are information, as it has been the case of  the PRD in Mexico. Even for thoseknowledgeable on political parties the author’s approach on the PRD helpsknowing the core of the party through the analysis of the electoral, historicaland organizational facets that explain it as a government alternative in thecountry.In this same sense we find in the book a rich methodological contributionto the study of  the political parties. In terms of  theoretical development,T he book to be presented has a great value. In the first place it wasa necessary publication, for both the academy as well as for thepolitical life of  our country. For the academy because the PartidoLaura Leticia Heras Gómez. Further the PRD: advances in the researchon the Mexican political left wing237the part about the analysis of the political parties has been a matter that, tothe date, is unfinished, given the deep dynamic of these in the context ofthe contemporary democracies; that goes from its displacement from theNon-Governmental Organizations or the direct democracy, particularly inWestern Europe, until its entrenchment in Latin America. The range ofparties, trends, organization forms and their different impacts in the politicalsystems is impressive. That is why when a text offering careful anddisciplined methodology to study the political parties appears, this becomesan obliged consultation work.Another important merit of the book is that its approach to one of themost controversial political parties from the current political spectrum inMexico helps clearing the manipulative media information and presents amore objective look.  If the political phenomena are nowadays being crossedby a strong mediatic charge, the analyses from the theory as that by Dr.Vivero are absolutely healthy; especially when the political parties havechosen as a privileged means of communication the mass media, hence, atext that clarifies such information based on particular interests is reallyuseful for everybody, general public and specialists from the academy.It is worth doing a pass over the book since it could be a study guide ofthe political parties. Along with Panebianco (1990) and Kriesi (1992), Dr.Vivero approaches in the first chapter the origin of  the PRD, doing soexhaustively and punctually, even more, he leads us to walk on thefoundations of  the Mexican left wing. The study performed within theextended political Mexican system context and the deep transformationsof  the last three decades. It is in this very context that the author uses as ananalytical conductor thread the opportunity structure (OPE) to study theemergence of  the PRD. He highlights as a feature of  the party theagglutinative presence of  the personalist leadership and not the structureor the organization’s ideology. Similarly, reading this first chapter can beseen the great internal contradictions, that as they unite the party, they alsofragment it.In this chapter it would have been interesting to deepen on theimportance of the social mobilization that accompanied the PRD in itsconstruction as a political party and mainly in the defense of  its first238Convergencia, num. 42, Sept-Dec 2006, ISSN 1405-1435, UAEM, Mexicoelectoral triumphs. Without this mobilization we could not understand soeasily the party’s political power. The author mentions it, but not thoroughly,being it probably one of the keys of the political change that has beentaking place in Mexico since 1988.In the second chapter the structure and working of  the PRD are fullyapproached. Here stands out the analysis of  the formal-organization part,and the not very visible informal part of  the internal policy of  the party.The former is at plain sight through its statutes, the composition of  itsinternal organs and its ideological bases, everything that is part the dailymovement of  the party. However, the invisible part —that is where thefine threading of the power is knitted— is constituted by the differentcurrents or factions that integrate the organization, as well as by the dominantcoalition. The called Cardenistas (Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas and RosarioRobles), the Muñozledistas (the Arcoiris —-rainbow— group), the Amalistas(Nuevo Sol —New Sun—), the Chuchos (Nueva Izquierda —New Left wing—)  and some others, are groups that are looking for overtaking positions bymeans of  the informal practice of  alliances, bargaining and agreements.The dominant coalition has been through Cárdenas, Muñoz Ledo and AmaliaGarcía, successively. By the first years of  the current decade such coalitionwould be led by Andrés López Obrador. The interview our author makes tothe called moral leader of  the PRD, Cuauhtémoc Cárdenas S. is veryillustrative throughout this part of  the analysis.The third and fourth chapters are dedicated to a couple of  crucial subjectsfor any political party: their ideological location in the left-right partyspectrum and the electoral success. On the former aspect, the author, as hedoes in the whole book, demands from himself an analysis depth thatsurpasses the schematic and superficial visions of what we know as leftwing parties and right wing parties.For the latter, a statistical analysis is used, based on a time series in thelast three legislatures, and in the comparison with the other two largestMexican parties: PRI and PAN. Let us say that in order to locate the PRD itwas necessary to locate the other two parties, creating a sense of  spectrumthat is quite volatile for the analyst and finally for the electorate.In this part, the competence by ideological niches exercise betweenpolitical Mexican parties and the statistical analysis of opinion from theLaura Leticia Heras Gómez. Further the PRD: advances in the researchon the Mexican political left wing239representatives on some variables such as religion, democracy or economy,enrich and define with better empirical elements the location of the PRD inthe Mexican left wing.The part of the book that corresponds to the electoral trajectory isimpeccable for two reasons; because based on an analytical model thatincludes the evolutional dynamic of the other two largest political Mexicanparties allows the reader to observe the noticeable advance of  the PRD asan alternative party in the Mexican power, and changing from being analmost inexistent option in 1990 to the close-to-be winner of the lastpresidential elections. At this point we still find more interesting elementsapproached by the author. For example, the impact of  the PRD in theMexican parties system, which altered the composition and competitivenessof the whole system, and we would add,  speed up the creation of the IFE(Electoral Federal Institute). Mexico is changing through a non competitiveparty system to a competitive one, and in this transition, the PRD plays acentral role, as the author demonstrates it.We have to add that in this chapter Dr. Vivero also analyzes the presenceof the party at a national level and identifies the electorate who supportsthis party. It is a party placed in the central region of  the country, whosemain electors are farming workers, merchants and professionals. All of  themare part of  the faithful and stable political clientele living in the FederalDistrict, Michoacan, State of Mexico and Morelos (40% of their nationalvote, pag. 216). In order to carry out the study on sociodemographic aspects,the author uses analytical tools such as the competitiveness and volatibility,national and regional voting percentages and the multiple regression, andhe also illustrates geographically the electoral relevance of  the party.The study of the PRD at national level can immensely vary in respectto the regional or local analysis. The political parties acquire absolutelydistant characteristics depending of their geographical location and theirrange of influence. Even if it was not the intention of the author to take onthis approach, a superficial look at the particularities of the party in thestates can be noticed, and its incursion at local level is scarce. To make thisanalysis would enrich the text in their spatial and in the profoundness of itsanalysis level.240Convergencia, num. 42, Sept-Dec 2006, ISSN 1405-1435, UAEM, MexicoThe chapter is, at the same time, the most ambitious one, but perhapsfor that reason the weakest in methodological terms, this is, the perspectiveof the politics compared to the political parties is extremely attractive;however, the exercise can still be weak if we do not part from the generallyused premises to make compared politics, such as the comparison betweenvery different or very similar units or the same case (single-case), comparedhistorically. To begin with, the author opts for what would be the mostsimilar parties (left-winged) in Latin America. But we have to mention thatwith such exercise it is assumed the risk of what we are trying to comparedoes not cover the minimum requirements of the comparison and it is notpossible to constitute a deep explanation.However, the author assumes the risks and takes on a significant task,to compare the PRD with other parties considered as left-winged in LatinAmerica: the FREPASO from Argentina, the Partido del Trabajo Brasileño,the Frente Amplio Uruguayo and the Partido Socialista Chileno. Once more,the descriptive statistical analysis, the use of the variables, the equality ofmeasurements and the test of results are the means to investigate the positionof  these parties in the party spectrum and their possible similitude with thePRD.This part is interesting because it is an important contribution for thestudy of the political parties in Latin America and for the studies ofcompared politics in the subject. However, it is the part that demands afurther theoretical development, an even more precise approach to thecompared politics tools. To check, for example, the variables, the cases, theanalysis units and the observations, since each one of  these need a previousdefinition, justification and relevance. To establish the analysis level sincewe can vary the deepness levels for each case or unit, and this evidentlyalters our comparison. The strictness in the selection of units, of thevariables, the establishment of equivalences, the possible deviations andthe slant corrections, grants the results reliability. Similarly, the decisionhas to be made and make it explicit regarding if a qualitative or quantitativeanalysis is to be made, or if  it will be attempted to combine both analyses.The comparative task starts with the purpose of comparison (or researchquestion) and the variable(s) to be explained. To compare is constituted asLaura Leticia Heras Gómez. Further the PRD: advances in the researchon the Mexican political left wing241the means to explain the political phenomena observed, since in the end itis tried to construct a theory that helps answering the question based on theproducts of the comparison (Landman, 2000). Without a doubt we are askingthe author a theoretical-methodological and empirical observationdevelopment that was not proposed and that eventually exceeded his initialpurposes, hoping this comment incites in the future to carry on a rich researchas the one presented here.BibliographyBartra, Roger (1982), El reto de la izquierda, Mexico: Grijalbo.Bruhn, Kathleen (1997), Taking on Goliath, the emergence of  a new leftparty and the struggle for democracy in Mexico, USA: Pennsylvania StateUniversity Press._______ (1998), “The Partido de la Revolución Democrática: divergingapproaches to competition”, in Serrano, Mónica, Governing Mexico: Politicalparties and elections, London: Institute of  Latin American Studies.Carr, Barry (1996), La izquierda mexicana a través del siglo XX, Mexico:Era.Garrido, Luis (1994), “Reform of  the PRI: rethoric and reality”, in Harvey,Neil and Mónica Serrano [eds.], Party politics in “an uncommon democracy”,University of London, Institute of Latin American StudiesHernández, Rogelio (1998), “The Partido Revolucionario Institucional”, inSerrano, Mónica [ed.], Governing Mexico: political parties and elections,University of  London, Institute of  Latin American Studies.Kriesi,  Hanspeter (1992), “El contexto político de los nuevos movimientossociales en Europa occidental”, in Benedicto, Jorge and Fernendo Reinares[eds.], Las transformaciones de lo político, España: Alianza Universidad.Landman, Todd (2000), Issues and methods in comparative politics, London:Routledge.Mizrahi, Yamile (1998), “The costs of  electoral success: the Partido AcciónNacional in México”, in Serrano, Mónica [ed.], Governing Mexico, Universityof  London, Institute of  Latin American Studies.242Convergencia, num. 42, Sept-Dec 2006, ISSN 1405-1435, UAEM, MexicoPanebianaco, Angelo (1990), Modelos de partido, Madrid: AlianzaUniversidad.Sartori, Giovanni (1980), Partido y sistemas de partidos, Madrid: AlianzaEditorial.Laura Leticia Heras Gómez. Researcher from the Facultad de CienciasPoliticas y Administración Pública, from the Universidad Autónoma delEstado de México (UAEM). She is holder of  a Ph. D. in Social Sciencesfrom the Universidad Iberoamericana. Her lines of research are:democratization, culture and political participation in Mexico and LatinAmerica. Her most recent publication is: “La política de Educación Superioren México: los programas de estímulos a profesores e investigadores”, inrevista EDUCERE from the Universidad de los Andes Mérida, num. 29,April-June, Venezuela, 2005.

Reseña de "Desafiando al Sistema, la izquierda política en México. Evolución organizativa, ideológica y electoral del Partido de la Revolución Democrática" de Igor Vivero Ávila

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