What Is Democracy?

A critique of party political democracy in Colombia. Using cartoon, old newsreel, and a barrage of photo-material, it exposes the way in which clerical, military and business interests colluded with the American government against the peasantry and workers. Alvarez demonstrates the futility of voting for a series of figurehead personalities, none of whom, liberal or conservative, are prepared to instigate the enormous changes necessary in the Colombian social system. While the Colombian people continue to believe in the party machine, while they continue to vote, while they continue not supporting the revolutionary vanguard, they will remain oppressed. Alvarez' points were brought home by subsequent events in Colombia. He himself was imprisoned without trial in 1972, on charges of 'conspiracy' against the state.