Introduction
The reader is introduced to the main themes of the book, outlining the ways the Mexican and Bolivian cases have been studied by previous scholars. The chapter argues that, paradoxically, the PRI success and the MNR’s failure have both been separately attributed to the same factor: the attempt to articulate variegated and fragmented social sectors. A comparative study of the cases can answer why the attempt was successful in one case but not the other. The reader is also introduced to the organization of the book as whole, which is divided in three parts: the first concerning theoretical discussions around party formation, the second which delves into the empirical cases in detail, and a third that draws out the broader implications of the study.