Latin America: Revolution and Reaction in the 20 th Century

Intro  Third World??  Earlier political independence  More western social/political structures  Vulnerable to world financial changes  Dependency on others?  New political groups lead to broad shifts

Mexican Revolution…  2 major events start trends: WWI and Mexican Revolution  Diaz dictatorship  Madero runs, eventually leads to revolt  Pancho Villa, Emiliano Zapata  Madero assassinated, next is Huerta  “same time” as other revolutions  Devastating effects  New constitution

Culture and politics  Nationalism and indigenism  Art: murals, ballads(corridos), novels  Theme: revolution  Nationalized natural resources  PRI (in theory-many, in reality-one)  Zapatista movement

Economic change  WWI: affects Mexican imports  Import Substitution Industrialization!!!!  Still suffered from:  Lack of capital, limited markets, low tech.  After war: inflation, population growth  Leads to social problems

Labor and the Middle Class  Urban labor and urban middle class become important  Workers experiment: anarchism, syndicalism, strikes  Class conflict  Liberalism fails, middle class joins with military

Populist Peru  Predominantly Indian population  Export-oriented economy  New political party (APRA)  Support from workers, small farmers, etc.  Nationalist, anti-establishment

Response to depression  Economically dependent and internal weaknesses  Unemployment, bankruptcy, etc.  Violent overthrows  Alternatives:  Corporatism  Capitalism plus social reform

Social Reform  Mexico: Cardenas and land reform  Brazil: Vargas  New constitution  Authoritarian  Later returns  Argentina:  Dependent on foreign investment but industry grows  Military control of gov’t

cont.  Military: nationalist who wanted to modernize and industrialize  Juan Peron (Evita)  Alliance between workers, industrialists, and the military  Nationalist and populist but loses control

Radical options  Guatemala: poor, illiterate, unequal land  Arevalo vs. United Fruit Co.  Arbenz attempts to nationalize industry  US(CIA) takes over, reforms failed (problems)  Cuba: middle class, literacy, health care  US investments; Bautista-dictator  Fidel Castro (w/ Che Guevara) leads revolt and takes over  Makes changes!!!!

Search for reform?  Political stability to promote capitalism  Power of the church  Liberation theology  Power of the military  Direct intervention in political process  Bureaucratic, authoritarian, repressive  Forced development  Nationalistic

Democratic trend  Government back to civilians  Redemocratization-not easy and peaceful  Many problems: foreign loans, inflation, drugs, etc.  U.S.: major investor, interventions  Banana republics  Good neighbor policy  Alliance for progress

Social and gender changes  Slow change for women  Suffrage  Members of labor organizations  Today: women closer to US/West Europe  Movement: internal and external  Rate of growth  Better opportunities

Cultural themes  Mix of many cultures  Predominantly Catholic  African, Indian, Hispanic influences  Social criticism in literature