Bewilder the Tyrant. Social Legitimation and Conservative Modernization in Stroessner?s Political Regime (1954-1989)

LORENA SOLER

Authoritarianism, Cultural History and Political Resistance in Latin America. Exposing Paraguay

Michigan Technological University.

Lugar: Michigan ; Año: 2017; p. 1 - 30

This chapter addresses, from a sociological perspective, the mechanisms of legitimization of Stronism in Paraguay. I tackle down the assumption that the ?longest dictatorship? of the 20th century in South America relied exclusively on the violent repression of popular classes and political sectors of the opposition. Although repression certainly was a fundamental factor, I argue that Stronism was the result of a complex process of legitimation, which included the use of democratic tools, such as constitutional reforms and popular elections, as well as support from the lower classes. Following the sociological work of Barrington Moore and others, I sustain that the construction of Alfredo Stroessner s political regime can be thought of as a process of conservative modernization that ultimately inserted the country in the world market as a provider of commodities.