ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that analyzing revolutionary Bolivarianism – although it is anti-imperialist and based on principles of direct democracy– based on concepts of European nationalism is not appropriate. Revolutionary Bolivarianism should be understood from the analytical perspective of constituent power and multitude. Revolutionary Bolivarianism is not the only interpretation of Bolivarianism. Other currents of Bolivarianism are in fact in line with different traditions of nationalism and oriented toward a state-centered developmentalism and more in line with the statist tradition in the French Revolution. Revolutionary Bolivarianism is neither a homogenizing nation-state nationalism nor a promotion of an interclass national unity. The normative orientation of the transformation process proposes overcoming the state, since it is considered an integral product of capitalism. Nationalism scholars have differentiated between “civic nationalism” and “ethnic nationalism”. Early Venezuelan nationalism was influenced by nationalist concepts from Spain and France.
