ABSTRACT
This chapter proceeds with a brief exposition of Jorge Castaneda's approach and his method of arguing for a Social Democratic agenda. Beyond the literary world, Castaneda's writing reflects an influential current of thought in Latin America and to a much lesser degree in Europe and the United States. The chapter outlines the political context for the emergence of Castaneda's "new pragmatism", focusing on the growth of Center-Left political coalitions. In the first place, the attempt, to locate the "new pragmatism" in recent history is totally inadequate. Castaneda distorts the experiences of the 1960s and 1970s, reducing a rich mosaic of experiences into a simplistic dichotomy between Utopian or apocalyptic guerrillas and reactionary military forces. The chapter follows with a systematic critique of his method, analytical framework, and the major substantive historical and contemporary issues that engage writers attempting to fashion a theoretical perspective for Latin America's Left.
