How does the fight between superpowers impact the rest of the world? Third World How does the fight between superpowers impact the rest of the world?

Imperialism Imperialism through: Military Power Economic Power Benefits include: control of natural resources, obtaining new markets to sell goods, gain land

Decolonization Africa

Decolonization After WWII, European nations were interested in shedding themselves of their colonies around the world. Reasons: Economic costs of keeping the colony; Military cost of keeping the colony; Increased violence in colonies and European nations were tired of war after the two world wars; UN support for self-determination (Wilson’s original concept)

Decolonization Achieved primarily through agreements with European powers-negotiated independence and incomplete decolonization. Incomplete decolonization is when power is transferred to local elite settlers (typically white), rather than the native population Difficulties about how to define state borders. Led to in-fighting, such as in the Sudan (only recently has a new country been formed)

Economic Impacts African states now were able to control their natural resources; Saw significant growth in African economy; Problems: Increased borrowings to support infrastructure; Increased political corruption; Economy dependent on commodity prices, which tend to fluctuate wildly

Decolonization Latin America

decolonization In Latin America, decolonization came earlier and largely through wars. Latin countries gained their independence from European countries and most were independent by the 1930’s.

Economics From independence through the 1930’s most countries of Latin America used the exportation of raw materials to support their economies. This meant that they were susceptible to the forces of supply and demand and the significant volatility of commodity prices.

Import Substitution Industrialization Import Substitution Industrialization (ISI) started in the 1930’s as the economies of Latin America were hard hit by the world wide depression. The basic concept of ISI is that countries will become self-sufficient by producing for themselves all the products that they had previously imported. Achieved through high tariffs and import quotas and even nationalizing industry (Mexico nationalized all oil producing facilities from the US in 1938).

United States Response After the onset of the Cold War, what is the US most concerned about? Communism versus Capitalism

Confessions of An Economic Hit man Controlling Through Economic Means

Neocolonialism Neocolonialism neocolonialism suggests an indirect form of control through economic and cultural dependence. In this case neocolonialism describes the continued control of former colonies through ruling native elites compliant with neocolonial powers, populations that are exploited for their labour and resources in order to feed an insatiable appetite for finished physical or cultural commodities made by the metropole.

Confessions of an Economic Hit Man According to John Perkins in Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, Economic Consultants were used to create scenarios that would justify large loans to countries. These scenarios were generally too optimistic. These loans would be used to support US companies who would provide the necessary support for large engineering and construction projects.

Confessions “… I would work to bankrupt the countries that received these loans (after they had paid MAIN and the other US contractors, of course) so that they would be forever beholden to their creditors, and so they would present easy targets when we needed favors, including military bases, UN votes, or access to oil or other military bases.” Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, John Perkins, page 18

US versus USSR As we know, the Cold War is a battle between the US and the USSR for “control of the world”. How did the two countries try to influence the actions of third world countries? Development Assistance Loans (could come from the country itself , from the World Bank or from the IMF) Direct Aid ($) Military Support through troops or through military training Arms- either sold to the country or given to the country Trade Agreements to buy their natural resources and sell them finished goods

Approaches Utilized The US used all of the tools on the previous slide to “help” third world countries. The USSR used most of these approaches, but did not provide as much in the form of direct aid to other countries. Their primary approach was though support of military aid in order to support a transition to a communist government.

African Decolonization http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tiedosto:Decolonization_of_Africa_PL.PNG

Group Work You will be divided up into four groups, one representing the Democratic Republic of the Congo, one representing Guatemala, a third representing South Africa and the fourth representing Cuba. For each of these groups I will give you a variety of readings about the history of this country during the Cold War. I would like you to read this and create a presentation to the class.

Group Work The presentation to the class should be 10 to 12 minutes in length and should focus on presenting information to the class that is relevant to: History of the country that will help put the Cold War era and gaining independence in perspective; The Cold war era- the country’s relationships with the US, the USSR or both; Whether the people of the country were better off after gaining their independence;

Assessment Information: 15 points Provides relevant information about the history of the country Presentation: 20 points Energy 4 points Creative 8 points Personal Involvement 4 points Eye Contact/Connect with Audience 4 points Preparation: 15 points In class 7.5 points Work Load 7.5 points