Ironically, while its electoral base grew to 64% in December 2009, the MAS itself was greatly weakened.
While the MAS was born in the countryside, where the structures of the "political instrument" and the powerful peasant and indigenous organizations were one and the same, it began to expand into the cities following its 2005 victory, where social organizations are much weaker and individual affiliation prevailed.
In many cases, due to the lack of trained professionals in the peasant and indigenous organizations, Morales was forced to rely on "invitees" from the already existing state bureaucracy to run the government.
Most of Morales' first cabinet came from these sectors, causing concern among the founding organizations of the MAS, who felt they were not being treated as they should be, with quotas in the government.
While the relatively autonomous social organizations united to defend "their" government during times of intense confrontation, they have also tended to retreat to more local and sectoral demands.