ABSTRACT
This chapter analyses the central role of the class struggle in the process of capitalist development that is unfolding in Latin America, on the periphery of what has emerged as a world system. It focuses on the different dynamics of the struggle 'from above' and 'from below'. The chapter discusses several cases of the class struggle in order to highlight the dynamics of a class struggle from below formed to effectively counteract the class offensive from above. It also focuses exclusively on Latin America over the past two and a half decades – 1990–2014 – a period of significant changes in economic models, political regimes and class structure. The chapter expands the notion of class struggle from above to include 'the outside' since the 'international capitalist class', as it is termed by some in Latin America, is heavily engaged in the class struggle, deploying all of the forces at its disposal.
