LATIN AMERICA IN THE 21ST

CENTURYChapter 32

LATIN AMERICA - TIMELINE

First World: the United States and its allies.      Second World: the Soviet Union and its allies.     Third World: Non-aligned and neutral countries

LATIN AMERICA – BIG PICTURE Latin America – a third world continent

Idea of the 1st, 2nd, & 3rd originated during the Cold War… 1st: Advanced economies & high development 2nd: Industrialized communist nation 3rd: Lack of industrialization/underdeveloped

Shared traits of Africa/Asia, but… Western social/political structures

Economic links to US and Europe Again focused on exports – vulnerable to world demand

Political, cultural, economic dependency cycle continued Decolonization = economic freedom + cultural/political that matches

Becomes more industrial – leads to labor movement Growing urban middle class begins to play a role

Latin American patterns Economic expansion – conservative reaction to maintain political power Economic crisis – chance to break patterns/expand social justice

More continuities than changes Can’t replace old system w/ agreed upon new system

Better education, social services, treatment of women, industry

LATIN AMERICA AFTER WORLD WAR IIBrazil and Argentina ruled by reformers w/ populist agenda

Even when Peron – Argentina –was expelled power of movement still evident Military forced to repress to maintain control Military tried to gain prestige/nationalism in war for Falkland Islands

Mexico and the PRI Party of the Institutionalized Republic

economic growth paramount Stability provided – controls politics – one-party system, but… Political corruption and failure to improve social Whatever happened to revolutionary ideals?

Zapatistas Chiapas1994 Zapatistas revolt in Chiapas – frustrated

Problem solved through repression/negotiation NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement)

Trade pact signed in 1992 that gradually eliminates most tariffs and other trade barriers on products and services passing between the United States, Canada, and Mexico NAFTA

Attempt to improve political situation Trade increases, but… Middle class gets rich and large income gap between middle class and poor

2000 PRI finally defeated national election by Vicente Fox – PAN party Platform – end corruption, improve life for Mexican workers in US PRI out

RADICAL OPTIONS IN THE 1950SWhat are possible solutions to improve economic and

social conditions? Mexico – one-party conservative rule Venezuela/Costa Rica – reform minded democracies Or…there’s always the Marxist option

Radical solutions as possibility Continued problems that never improve Revolutions go too far left, bring back military into control

Bolivia – link of miners, labor, peasants reforms open elections Marxist options Bolivia mix of radicalism and reaction

RADICAL OPTIONS IN THE 1950SGuatemala: Reform and U.S. Intervention

Economic disparities– illiterate, poor health Land distributed unequally – surprise, surprise High mortality rate Coffee, banana export Labor coalition

Juan José Arevalo elected, 1944 tries reforms Income tax Land reform Intense nationalism A lot of reforms, but did not drive out the Catholic

church.1951 Colonel Jacobo Arbenz elected tries to go even

further Tries to nationalize transportation, hydroelectric system Tries to appropriate unused land

Problem – policies conflict with desires of United Fruit Company Foreign owned company that has a lot to lose

GUATEMALA: REFORM AND U.S. INTERVENTIONOligarchy and United Fruit Company threatened

Now Del Monte Corporation US/CIA sponsored military force takes

over Help based on acceptance of Eastern

European weapons Violence and instability Guerilla movement starts

More radical land reformReform ends***Key theme – Latin American won’t be

allowed to changed w/out foreigners

THE CUBAN REVOLUTION: SOCIALISM IN THE CARIBBEAN

Cuba differs from Guatemala American influence following Spanish rule Large Spanish and African slave descendant population Large middle class Relatively high literacy/health care Huge disparity between urban and rural Cuban policies strongly linked to US interests

¾ imports from US Economy fluctuates based on global demand for sugar –Major exportFulgencio Batista, 1934-1944 military reformer, 1940, new constitution, 1952 on becomes dictator

Promises major changes – nationalization of natural resources Marred by corruption

Fidel Castro1953, Lawyer who launches revolution but is arrested attempted revolution Exiled to Mexico – taught guerilla tactics by Ernesto “El Che ” Guevara

student, labor support, Both return to Cuba, gain support, take over isolated leader

1958, Batista out Turns Marxist-Leninist/Gains Soviet aid & protector

1961, U.S. breaks relations with Cuba, “Bay of Pigs” 1962, threat of nuclear war, attempted assassinations Cuban Missile Crisis October 1963

THE SEARCH FOR REFORM AND THE MILITARY OPTIONUnder Castro:

Foreign properties confiscated Lands collectivized Centralized socialist economy Survived the 6os with USSR, or would have failed

Sugar prices fluctuate, can’t afford oil El Che assassinated in Bolivia 1967

Continuity Mexico, one-party system Venezuela, Chile

Christian Democratic Liberation Theology

So…how do you reverse inequality and foreign domination? Mexico’s one party system – PRI

But…poor planning, corruption, foreign debt crippled efforts Chile/Venezuela – church/clergy take position for human rights

Liberation theology – social equality = personal salvation Leads to attacks against clergy/nuns who want social change

OUT OF THE BARRACKS: SOLDIERS TAKE POWER

Military intervenes in politics, 1960s often U.S.-backed

Caudillo tradition, but… Now military thinks they’re above politicians Sacrifice democratic process for martial law Fear of Cuban success spreading

Brazil 1964 - Brazilian military + middle class take over elected

government With help from US Fear that they would actually implement social reforms

Argentina military coup, 1966 – Argentina - Military intervenes over Peron Chile - General Augusto Pinochet

Former commander of Chilean army brought up on crimes against humanity Seized power from leftist Salvador Allende in 1973 Brutal repression – thousands killed/tortured

Uruguay, 1973 Peru, 1968

THE NEW DEMOCRATIC TRENDS Unique variations

Argentina - land reform and pushed nationalism to take Falkland Islands

In Argentina, violent opposition to military rule led to a counteroffensive known as ʺthe dirty warʺ

Chile/Uruguay – intensely anti-communistic Venezuela, Costa Rica The New Democratic Trends

1980s military gradually turns power back to civilians Fear of Cuba communism goes away Populist parties not so scary End of cold war – US hesitant to sponsor dictators

THE NEW DEMOCRATIC TRENDS But still huge problems for governments

Large foreign loans – some infrastructure, some stupid = huge debt

International commerce in drugs High rates of inflation

Cold war pressures eased in mid-80s Argentina elections, 1983 Brazil presidential elections, 1989 Peru Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path), 1990s leftist guerillas El Salvador, Nicaragua, Guatemala truces between governments, rebels

RESULTS… Conditions workers hard-hit continuing structural problems repression, torture

Pattern of rule Dictatorship Political repression/torture to dissidents Laws limited political freedom Economic changes

Income gap actually got worse Property issues don’t change Gains in literacy and health Industrialization possible

U.S. MILITARY INTERVENTIONS, 1898-2000

UNITED STATES AND LATIN AMERICA: CONTINUING PRESENCEAmerican investors Intervention pre-1933, 30 times Good Neighbor Policy, 1933 Franklin D. Rooseveltʺ that promised to deal more

fairly with Latin American countries and to halt direct military intervention?

Cold War new involvement more indirect involvement Alliance for Progress, 1961 Jimmy Carter civil liberties

Ronald Reagan, George Bush more direct intervention

The United States and Latin America: Continuing Presence

By end of WWI, US unquestioned leader in L. America Leading investors – 1/3 of all US foreign investments

Military intervention to protect US owned properties/investments 30 military interventions before 1930 United Fruit, other companies in Central America need protection

Sometimes US contributed to assassination of leaders Banana republics – puppet gov’ts controlled by US

Conservative governments and dictatorships established in the aftermath of U.S. military intervention

Brief change in 1930s w/ Good Neighbor Policy – Roosevelt But…communism/Cold War make it important again

Support gov’ts that express anti-communistic dogma Belief that investment/economic improvement will prevent extremes

Alliance for Progress – up to $10 billion for helping economics Increasing violence in 1980s, US supported conservative gov’ts

1989-1990 – invaded Panama, installed cooperative regime The arrest of its leader, Manuel Noriega

SOCIETIES IN SEARCH OF CHANGESlow Change in Women's Roles

Voting rights not expanded until 1940s Always concern they would lean too far conservative Religion influenced conservatism Women’s place in the home Change brought about through feminist organizations,

foreign pressure Sometimes vote secured just to benefit party in power

However, right to vote doesn’t mean high political participation

Women did show some impact with labor unions Also important w/ small scale commerce

1990s…female participation closer to West than rest of the world

Intermediate position between industrialized and rest Health, education, place in the workforce

THE MOVEMENT OF PEOPLEMortality down, fertility up The Movement of People

Population has swelled due to high fertility, declining mortality

Pre-1900, migration was to L. America 20th century migration goes away from L. America

Job opportunities – demand for unskilled labor US/Mexico set up formalized labor trade in WWII

Political freedom Willing to risk death in boats to immigrate

Some migration legal, some illegal Migration also between nations

Haiti > Dominican Republic Colombians > Venezuela

Massive Urbanization Most urbanized area of developing world

Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires all 13 million + Rate too fast

Jobs can’t keep up with pace Creation of shantytowns – favelas

Workers unable to unite Rural laborers not brought into factory jobs Labor organizations linked to gov’t

POPULATION OF CAPITAL CITIES

CULTURAL REFLECTIONS OF DESPAIR AND HOPEPopular culture strong blend Jorge Luis Borges

Gabriel García Marquez Cultural Reflections of Despair and Hope

Catholicism determines family, gender relations, business, social interaction

Popular culture combination of African and Indian traditions Sama, Salsa, Tango – L. American contributions

Literary/artistic themes revealed conditions of the poor – social criticism

Some authors resorted to “magical realism” – fantastic stories