Democracy and Social Justice: A Reading from Fausto Reinaga

Abstract

The article explores the relationship between democracy and social justice in Latin America, using mainly the work of Fausto Reinaga as a theoretical framework. It is argued that democracy in the region has been used by elites to maintain control and exclusion of certain groups, especially Indian subjects. Reinaga criticises Western liberal democracy for perpetuating socio-economic and racial inequalities, and proposes a “democratization of democracy” that includes a structural and philosophical transformation. Social justice, according to Reinaga, must go beyond formal equality and address the power structures that keep majorities on the sidelines. The article concludes that a true democracy in Latin America should recognize the diversity of its subjects and promote meaningful and real participation of social majorities in decision-making processes.