Historical explanation, socialism, and democracy. The career of Juan Carlos Portantiero

• Main Author: Luis Tapia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad Nacional de La Plata 2016-07-01
• Series: Cuestiones de Sociología
• Subjects: Democratización; Socialismo; Cultura política
• Online Access: http://www.cuestionessociologia.fahce.unlp.edu.ar/article/view/6555

This article traces the work of José Carlos Portantiero regards the relationship between democratization and socialism in his thought, and the articulation that he established between these and the production of an analytical strategy of sociological and historical explanation. This text also pays attention to the relationship between social science and political cultures, especially between the left political culture and the development of social sciences in Latin America. This has been done by reading almost all of his intellectual production trying to show the things that continue and some changes. The article shows that Portantiero has produced an analytical strategy made with some ideas of, Lenin, Mao and Gramsci until the end of the 70s, centered in the idea of the socialization of power and economy. After that he moved to the theme of the conditions of democracy in Latina America and Argentina, thinking by democracy a institutional set that includes recognition of minorities and limits to political and economic monopolies