The 19 th and 20 th Centuries
The Landed Elite Latin American countries continued to have the same rigid class structure. That elite were still the same groups, plus one - industrialists. – landowners – industrialists – the military – the clergy
Poverty – While tiny minority of landed elite, still controlled the economic wealth and political power, the overwhelming majority were landless peasants. Revolutions – The wide gap between rich and poor created revolutions and threats of revolutions. – The main cause of revolutions was widespread poverty. Industrialization – Thanks to the industrialists, Latin American countries began to develop industries. – But foreign investors were hesitant about investing in Latin America. – The No. 1 reason was political instability.
Military Dictatorships – To prevent revolutions and provide political stability, the military took over most governments. – And the most common type of government was the military junta - a military dictatorship. One-Party Rule – While the elite wanted a modern, industrialized society, they did not want democracy. – As a result, most countries did not have a two- party system. – Just one-party rule - on behalf of the elite.
No Respect for Individual Rights There was no respect for individual rights This was especially true of military dictatorships.