Transcript

35.1 Notes

CASE STUDY: LATIN AMERICAN DEMOCRACIES

It takes years to establish a democracy, it is a work in progress!

In order to have a successful democracy a nation needs: participation of its citizens education and literacy stable economy rule by law national identity belief in rights of the individual

2002 UN study warned democracy needs to be followed by economic growth, this is a particular issue in Latin America

DEMOCRACY AS A GOAL

Since gaining independence, Brazil has alternated between democracies and dictatorships

New capital city of Brasilia was built: increased debt and inflation in Brazil

The plan for land reform: breaking up large estates and distributing land to peasants

1964: wealthy Brazilians supported army seizing power in a military coup

Military dictators ruled for 2 decades. They emphasized: economic growth developed the Amazon jungle fostered foreign investment

BRAZIL: DICTATORS AND DEMOCRACY

Economy boomed but downside: the standard of living, or level of material comfort, declined

Early 1980s a recession, or slowdown in the economy, occurred in Brazil

Military generals decided to open political system, allowed direct election of offi cials

Several Presidents have been elected since then, all have dealt with these current issues: debt and inflation crises Government corruption Large income gap

Mexico enjoyed relative political stability for 20 th century

1920-1934 Mexico elected several Generals as president. They created a ruling party: The National Revolutionary Party, which dominated 20 th century

1934-1940 President Lazaro Cardenas carried out: land reform promoted labor rights nationalized the Mexican oil industry

MEXICO: ONE-PARTY RULE

1946 the main political party changed its name to the Institutional Revolutionary Party, or PRI; for the rest of the 20 th century it was the main force for political stability

Gov’t was stable but imperfect democracy. The PRI controlled the congress, won every election

Economy developed rapidly but severe issues: millions of ppl lacked jobs and land huge foreign debt

1994: Mexico joined NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement): removed trade barriers between the US, Canada, and Mexico

In 2000 end of PRI rule by electing center-right candidate Vicente Fox

Fox advocated for: reforming police ending political corruption utilizing free market forces tried to negotiate with US for amnesty for illegal Mexican

immigrants

THE PRI LOSES CONTROL

Argentina struggled to establish a democracy

1946 workers supported army offi cer Juan Peron who won Presidency then est a dictatorship

Peron and his wife, Eva (aka Evita), set up a welfare state, off ered social programs with limited freedoms

Eva died 1952, Peron’s popularity declined and his enemies ousted him in 1955

ARGENTINA: POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DISORDER

Military controlled politics for many years; mid-1970s Argentina in chaos

1982 military gov’t went to war, and lost, against Britain over the Falkland Islands

Generals were disgraced, stepped down

1983 fi rst free election in 37 years, elected Raul Alfonsin as President

Since then debt has been a major issue in Argentina


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