After an unprecedented victory in Sunday’s Bolivian elections, the triumphant cocalero Evo Morales has left many observers wondering: What’s next? Evo has promised an inclusive, socialist government that will break the back of the neo-liberal model and change the course of exploitation and elitism that has dominated Bolivian history since the time of Pizarro.

If all of this sounds like a tall order, that’s because it is. And while Evo has been critical of the "Washington Consensus", it remains to be seen whether he can offer a viable alternative that will meet the high expectations of Bolivian society.

Still, a successful Morales government will have several characteristics that can be simply stated.

1. Transparency: Corruption is one of the biggest obstacles to investment in social infrastructure and human resource development. If the new government upholds an extremely high standard of transparency, the Bolivian people will tolerate a great deal of honest mistakes and failures.
2. Community: In the 1990’s the state-centric socialist model was largely discredited, and with good reason. State run economies have been responsible for some of the most egregious crimes against human populations and the environment. A strong Morales government just may find a sustainable model that puts the "social" back into socialism. The key will be to devolve power and resources back to communities and give them the tools they need to be responsible for their own development. The real question is: Are the Bolivian people up to the task of delivering on Evo’s promises?
3. Economy: After decades of inflation, economic stagnation, and political turmoil, what Bolivians want more than anything is stability. They want a steady income, a stable government, and a growing economy. In a society where the majority of the poor rely on Bolivia’s natural resource base for their source of income, the Morales government must focus on three key deliverables: Water, Energy, and Markets.
   

Simply stated, sure, but extremely difficult to deliver. Despite Evo’s broad political mandate, or perhaps because of it, failure to meet the high expectations of a restive population could result in more of the same: protests, blockades, and a fractured nation with little hope for progress.

 
But, for the moment at least, all of us are hoping that Jim Shultz is right when he says that Bolivians may show us "that what’s possible in the world is often more than what we think."