Summary of Latin America: Colonialism to Dictatorship and Democracy

 

Colonialism

·        Began in late 1500’s

·        Spain claimed everything but Brazil, which was Portuguese

·        Encomienda system

·        Columbian Exchange; not mercantilist, equal b-n SA and Eu

·        Mercantilism; Price Revolution

·        1793; Haitian Rebellion

 

Revolution

·        Simon Bolivar; 1810-1825

·        Jose de San Martin

·        King Pedro in Brazil

·        Miguel Hidalgo, Jose Maria Morelos both killed, revolution went to elite, Agustin Iturbide overthrew Spain 1820-1, republic established 1823 after Iturbide’s overthrow

·        Spanish-American War 1898

 

“Independence”

·        Upper class still dominated lower class

·        Economic backwardness ‘cuz of mercantilism

·        Racism persisted

·        U.S. Monroe Doctrine

·        Pan-American Union 1889

·        Constitutions written, but not largely acted upon

·        “dollar diplomacy”

·        slavery persistent; eliminated in Brazil in 1888

·        Brazil made a republic in 1889

 

Dictatorship in the 20th Century

·        Industrialization occurred in limited amounts, especially in Mexico and Argentina

·        Mexico, Argentina, Chile granted rights to women, even access to education, especially Chile

·        Great Depression forced Latin American countries to diversify economies

·        During Cold War, U.S.A. supported several right-wing, sometimes fascist dictatorships to suppress spread of communism (containment)

·        “modernization” often led to concentration of wealth in hands of rich people, who suppressed peasants

·        only Colombia, Venezuela, and Costa Rica truly democratic in 1970’s

·        Juan Peron in Argentina in’46 (along w/wife Eva), fascistic by ‘50’s, ousted by army in ’55, went to Spain ‘til ’73, came back, died in ‘74

·        Military regime ruled from 1976 to 1983 in Argentina, killing leftists, intellectuals, and dissidents, killing ca 30,000

·        Chile; General Augusto Pinochet overthrew Marxist gov’t of Salvador Allende in 1973, remaining in power until 1980’s

·        Mexico; ‘50’s and ‘60’s ruled by democratically elected authoritarian oligarchy; Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI)

·        PRI kept economy stable in ‘50’s and ‘60’s largely based on oil exports, but in late ‘60’s economic problems and suppression of minorities led to discontent

·        1968, Mexico City, student demonstrations, by ‘80’s gov’t lightened up

·        Nicaraguan Revolution; 1979, Marxist, USSR-supported Sandinista movement overthrew right-wing Somoza dictatorship, U.S. supported guerilla contra rebels

·        Dictatorships collapsed in ‘80’s and ‘90’s; Brazil in 1985, Argentina in 1983 (free elections in 1989), Chile 1989, Mexico PRI lightened up in 1988