Democratization and the Left: Comparing East Asia and Latin America

This article examines how democratic transition has shaped leftist politics in Taiwan, South Korea, Brazil, and Chile. On one hand, the new left has positioned itself differently in the two regions, specifically in terms of when the left emerged (or reemerged) onto the political scene and how it has organized politically. On the other hand, new left forces in both regions have moderated their political tactics and ideological demands. This article contends that the new left has had to adapt to new political contexts. Divergence in new left politics can be explained by variations in the pacing of democratic reform, the institutional basis of democratic breakthrough, and salient cleavage structures. Yet the imperatives of democratic competition-irrespective of the specific mode of transition-have compelled the new left in both regions to similarly moderate their political tactics and transformative demands.