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Bolivia is a striking example. The mostly white, Europeanized elite, which is a minority, happens to be sitting on most of the hydrocarbon reserves. For the first time Bolivia is becoming democratic. So it's therefore bitterly hated by the West, which despises democracy, because it's much too dangerous.
Noam Chomsky
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Chomsky highlights the tension between democracy and elite control over resources.

In this quote, Noam Chomsky addresses Bolivia's struggle for democracy amidst an elite minority that controls the country's hydrocarbon resources. He suggests that the West fears this democratic shift because it challenges the status quo of power and resource distribution, implying that true democracy can threaten established interests that favor elite dominance.

Themes

DemocracyEliteResourcesBoliviaChomskyPower

In practice

Example use cases

During a lecture about the impact of democracy on resource distribution in Latin America.

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