Stepping Out of Step: the Contemporary Leftist Trend in Latin America

This article attempts to analyse the leftist trend in the social development of Latin America in the 21st century. At the beginning of the century, this trend took place due to a combination of political, social, and economic factors. The current "pink wave" can be explained by the dissatisfaction of the middle class with the existing system and traditional elites, who are unable to solve the most important problems of society. The study identifies a key characteristic of socialist movements: the pursuit of equality, which is understood broadly and includes aspects of wealth, gender, and ethnicity. The article explains the reasons for the reproduction of leftist political culture and compares progressive governments from different generations. It highlights key differences among them, including their driving forces, relationships with the United States, regional integration processes, and ideological positions. A significant part of the article analyses the political situation in Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Brazil. In each country, progressive governments don’t have control over legislative power, and implementing decisions requires agreements with the opposition. While leftist ideology remains an important direction in social thought, it is not a dominant trend among Latin Americans. Furthermore, it is highly likely that the next electoral cycle may strengthen the position of right-wing parties in the region.