Colombian Politics
... We can see that the state of both parties in Colombia from that day to this has not changed much: the nation is still largely fragmented, geographically, and the guerrillas and narcotraficantes use this to their advantage, in outwitting any political maneuvers that are taken by either the Liberals or Conservatives, in an attempt to overcome the scourge that these groups place on all Colombian citizens. ... As we have seen, the people need to believe in the power of their government to be able to do something about the guerrilla and drug trade problems, but Colombians are also resigned to the fact that governments can be corrupted (witness the Samper government’s acceptance of money from narcotraficantes for their election campaign): both political parties are so strong, as the Colombian people take Washington’s words to heart, interchanging parties (often in response to corruption), in order to eradicate corruption and as (in Washington’s words) “useful checks on the administration of government” (Washington, 1796; in Scarrow, 2002). ... Michels’ ideal democracy has no route to emerge in Colombian politics, as the people of Colombia do not vote for democracy: they vote in a democratic manner, but they vote not for democracy, rather for the party they think is less corrupt, and whom they think will rid the country of the double scourges of guerrillas and the drug trade. ... The Origin and Transformation of Political Parties in America, argues that, “political parties lie at the heart of American politics”, and quoting E. ... He, furthering this point, then quotes Fiorina (1980), saying, “the only way collective responsibility has ever existed, and can exist, given our institutions is through the agency of the political party; in American politics, responsibility requires cohesive parties”. ... This model of Aldrich’s therefore explains political party change within Colombia rather well: a focus on issues of immediate security concern at any particular time in history defines the political strategies of Colombian parties. ... He concludes by saying that “the success of democratic politics in developing societies is strongly associated with the presence of broadly-based heterogeneous catch-all parties”: Colombia, therefore, despite of, or perhaps, as we have argued, because of the troubles with security and drugs (which also put them on – and open to – an international stage) has therefore stuck with it’s options for democracy, two vertical parties, catch-all in nature, constantly playing off of each other to win votes by designing the best (i. ... This explains the continuing strength of Liberals and Conservatives in the face of such adversity: Colombian people, despite all the adversity they face, are eternal optimists.