Dancing Jacobins : A Venezuelan Genealogy of Latin American Populism

Since independence from Spain, a trope has remained pervasive in Latin America’s republican imaginary: that of an endless antagonism pitting civilization against barbarism as irreconcilable poles within which a nation’s life unfolds. This book apprehends that trope not just as the phantasmatic projection of postcolonial elites fearful of the popular sectors but also as a symptom of a stubborn historical predicament: the cyclical insistence with which the subaltern populations menacingly return to the nation’s public spaces in the form of crowds. Focused on Venezuela but relevant to the rest of Latin America, and drawing on a rich theoretical literature including authors like Derrida, Foucault, Lacoue-Labarthe, Nancy, Lyotard, Laclau, Taussig, and others, Dancing Jacobins is a genealogical investigation of the intrinsically populist “monumental governmentality” that in response to this predicament began to take shape in that nation at the time of independence. Informed by a Bolivarian political theology, the nation’s representatives, or “dancing Jacobins,” recursively draw on the repertoire of busts, portraits, and equestrian statues of national heroes scattered across Venezuela in a montage of monuments and dancing—or universal and particular. They monumentalize themselves on the stage of the polity as a ponderously statuesque yet occasionally riotous reflection of the nation’s general will. To this day, the nervous oscillation between crowds and peoplehood intrinsic to this form of government has inflected the republic’s institutions and constructs, from the sovereign “people” to the nation’s heroic imaginary, its constitutional texts, representative figures, parliamentary structures, and, not least, its army. Through this movement of collection and dispersion, these institutions are at all times haunted and imbued from within by the crowds they otherwise set out to mold, enframe, and address. Dancing Jacobins Traces The Populist 'monumental Governmentality' That Began To Take Shape In Venezuela And Other Latin American Nations Around The Time Of Independence, In Response To The Insistent Return Of Subaltern Populations In The Form Of Crowds. Informed By A Bolivarian Political Theology, The Nation's Representatives, Or 'dancing Jacobins, ' Draw On The Repertoire Of Busts, Portraits, And Equestrian Statues Of National Heroes Scattered Across Venezuela In A Montage Of Monuments And Dancing--or Universal And Particular. To This Day, The Nervous Oscillation Between Crowds And Peoplehood Intrinsic To This Form Of Government Has Inflected The Republic's Institutions And Constructs, Which Are Haunted And Imbued From Within By The Crowds They Otherwise Set Out To Mold, Enframe, And Address-- Since Independence From Spain, A Trope Has Remained Pervasive In Latin America's Republican Imaginary: That Of An Endless Antagonism Pitting Civilization Against Barbarism As Irreconcilable Poles Within Which A Nation's Life Unfolds. This Book Apprehends That Trope Not Just As The Phantasmatic Projection Of Postcolonial Elites Fearful Of The Popular Sectors But Also As A Symptom Of A Stubborn Historical Predicament: The Cyclical Insistence With Which The Subaltern Populations Menacingly Return To The Nation's Public Spaces In The Form Of Crowds-- This Long-awaited Book Presents An Insightful And At The Same Time Rollicking Account Of The Latin American Populist Form The Author Terms 'monumental Governmentality.' It Combines A Theatricalizing Of Political Leaders To A Sometimes Absurdly Gigantic And Statesque Extent With Those Leaders' Antic Efforts To Effectuate Their Political Power Through A Syncopated, Winking, Salsa-like Personal Style That Appeals Directly To The Mass Audience. Venezuela's Hugo Chavez Is The Prime Example, And The Central Focus Of The Book. Theoretically, The Book Is A Marvelously Rich Example Of Anthropological Writing, Which Can Be Read With Pleasure By Those Not Latin Americanists For Its Insights In Practical And Poltiical Philosophy. Historically And In Term Of Policy, It Gives An Excellent Account Of A Latin American Political Style That Tends Simply To Be Laughed At In The U.s.--but That Persists And Is Effective Nonethess--publisher's Website. Introduction: Populist Governmentality -- Overture -- Archeologies -- Bullying For Independence -- Statues And Statutes -- Theater For The Masses -- Monumental Governmentality -- Interlude: Dancing Jacobins -- The French Repertoire -- Scenes Of The Imaginary I : The Fragile Collection -- Scenes Of The Imaginary Ii : Bolívar Superstar -- The (bolivarian) People Is In The Army -- Conclusion: In My Image And Likeness -- Epilogue: Dancing And The Return Of The Crowds. Rafael Sánchez. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "Dancing Jacobins traces the populist 'monumental governmentality' that began to take shape in Venezuela and other Latin American nations around the time of independence, in response to the insistent return of subaltern populations in the form of crowds. Informed by a Bolivarian political theology, the nation's representatives, or 'dancing Jacobins,' draw on the repertoire of busts, portraits, and equestrian statues of national heroes scattered across Venezuela in a montage of monuments and dancing--or universal and particular. To this day, the nervous oscillation between crowds and peoplehood intrinsic to this form of government has inflected the republic's institutions and constructs, which are haunted and imbued from within by the crowds they otherwise set out to mold, enframe, and address"-- "Since independence from Spain, a trope has remained pervasive in Latin America's republican imaginary: that of an endless antagonism pitting civilization against barbarism as irreconcilable poles within which a nation's life unfolds. This book apprehends that trope not just as the phantasmatic projection of postcolonial elites fearful of the popular sectors but also as a symptom of a stubborn historical predicament: the cyclical insistence with which the subaltern populations menacingly return to the nation's public spaces in the form of crowds"-- "This long-awaited book presents an insightful and at the same time rollicking account of the Latin American populist form the author terms 'monumental governmentality.' It combines a theatricalizing of political leaders to a sometimes absurdly gigantic and statesque extent with those leaders' antic efforts to effectuate their political power through a syncopated, winking, salsa-like personal style that appeals directly to the mass audience. Venezuela's Hugo Chavez is the prime example, and the central focus of the book. Theoretically, the book is a marvelously rich example of anthropological writing, which can be read with pleasure by those not Latin Americanists for its insights in practical and poltiical philosophy. Historically and in term of policy, it gives an excellent account of a Latin American political style that tends simply to be laughed at in the U.S.--but that persists and is effective nonethess"--From publisher's website. Since independence from Spain the trope of an endless antagonism pitting civilization against barbarism has remained pervasive in Latin America’s republican imaginary. This book apprehends that trope not just as the phantasmatic projection of postcolonial elites fearful of the popular sectors, but also as a symptom of a stubborn historical predicament: the cyclical insistence with which the subaltern populations return to the nation’s public spaces in the form of crowds. Focused on Venezuela but relevant to Latin America, Dancing Jacobins is a genealogical investigation of the populist “monumental governmentality” that in response to this predicament began to take shape in that nation at the time of independence. Informed by a Bolivarian political theology, the nation’s representatives, or “dancing Jacobins,” recursively draw on the repertoire of busts, portraits, and equestrian statues of national heroes scattered across Venezuela in a montage of monuments and dancing—or universal and particular. They monumentalize themselves on the stage of the polity as a ponderously statuesque yet occasionally riotous reflection of the nation’s general will. To this day, the nervous oscillation between crowds and peoplehood intrinsic to this form of government has inflected the republic’s institutions and constructs, from the sovereign “people” to the nation’s heroic imaginary, its constitutional texts, representative figures, parliamentary structures, and last, but not least, its army. Through this movement of collection and dispersion these institutions are at all times haunted and imbued from within by the crowds that they otherwise set out to mould, enframe, and address "Dancing Jacobins traces the populist 'monumental governmentality' that began to take shape in Venezuela and other Latin American nations around the time of independence, in response to the insistent return of subaltern populations in the form of crowds. Informed by a Bolivarian political theology, the nation's representatives, or 'dancing Jacobins, ' draw on the repertoire of busts, portraits, and equestrian statues of national heroes scattered across Venezuela in a montage of monuments and dancing ... or universal and particular. To this day, the nervous oscillation between crowds and peoplehood intrinsic to this form of government has inflected the republic's institutions and constructs, which are haunted and imbued from within by the crowds they otherwise set out to mold, enframe, and address" .. Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 2 Copyright......Page 3 Dedication......Page 4 Contents......Page 6 Figures......Page 8 Introduction. Populist Governmentality......Page 12 Overture......Page 50 Chapter 1. Archaeologies......Page 56 Chapter 2. Bullying for Independence......Page 107 Chapter 3. Statues and Statutes......Page 134 Interlude_ Dancing Jacobins......Page 208 Chapter 6. The French Repertoire......Page 212 Chapter 7. Scenes of the Imaginary, I......Page 238 Chapter 8. Scenes of the Imaginary, II......Page 262 Chapter 9. The (Bolívarian) People Is in the Army......Page 284 Chapter 10. “In My Image and Likeness”......Page 304 Epilogue. Dancing and the Return of the Crowds......Page 338 Acknowledgments......Page 342 Notes......Page 348 Works Cited......Page 374 Index......Page 394