ABSTRACT
In the context of struggling neoliberal “democracies,” many analysts now promote an increased focus on poverty alleviation and the reduction of inequality through carefully managed redistribution. They often fail, however, to question the overall logic of “efficient macroeconomic management” oriented towards market-based reforms. Therefore, these “post-neoliberal” policies should not be seen as an overall structural shift in paradigm but rather as poverty management within the paradigm. The Bolivarian Revolution in Venezuela, on the other hand, represents an all-out assault on neoliberal doctrine and its authoritarian elements, putting into question elite control of the economy. A key aspect of the revolution has been the effort to revitalize citizenship through the construction of mechanisms for public participation in decision-making, particularly aiming at the poor majority. The dramatic transformations taking place in health and education policy in Venezuela are indicative of what can happen when poor communities are invited to participate in decision-making.
