This book, written by Ecuadorian sociologist Decio Machado and Uruguayan journalist Raúl Zibechi, reflects on the reality of social transformation through the state. Combining historical analysis to make sense of the recent present, the book offers among the most incisive analyses of what transpired with the rise –on the backs of popular movements– of progressivist governments beginning in the late 1990s to 2000s in Latin America, during the so-called “Pink Tide”. The book explores the realities and consequences of using popular power to access the state. As a critical review of this period, this book is essential for understanding the failures of the recent past, to live a dignified present, and set a new horizon for the future. It not only examines the limitations and contradictions of progressive governments but also deconstructs the myth that the state can be the driving force behind deep social transformation.

Rupture Press & Active Distribution, 2025, Normal Book, 148 pages.