Ebrios, vagos y analfabetos. El sufragio restringido en Bolivia, 1826-1952

Abstract

This article analyses the motives and strategies of the Bolivian popular sectors, mestizo craftsmen and indigenous peasants, aiming at achieving social existence as well as public and political presence in a restricted election regime (1826-1952). In order to be considered citizens, they did not ask for suffrage extension but demonstrated they had the qualities requested by a system of «learned» vote., making recourse both to the ambiguity of the law and to the dominant political rethoric which made education and citizanship inseparable.