Introduction
The Traditional governments of Peru were either republics or military governments, like that of General Velasco.
One of the more important civilian leaders was Fernando Belaunde Terry. In the 1960s, Belaunde introduced a series of socialist reforms, like banning labor actions (strikes), phasing out economic assistance for food and fuel and even introduced Russian advisors. When he returned for a second term, some of these socialist ideas gave way to inherited enterprise (capitalism).
Some of the economic problems that President Belaunde and other leaders faced were:
- Need of land reforms
- Foreign control of resources
- National Debt
- Unequal distribution of wealth
- Declining prices for exports
- High interest rates
- Poor agrarian performance
- Inflation
- Poor Standard of living
In general Burns concludes that, military governments are repressive and economic failures. Burns goes on to explain that military governments also
- replaced democratic government
- brutally suppressed freedom
- reinforced outmoded & unjust institutions
- dismantled social security & pension plans
- limited governmental participation in the economy
A Shining Path to the Future
Left wing urban guerrillas have always been a problem in countries like Peru. Although the leadership of these guerrillas movements rests with Marxist intellectuals, their bases of support is with the Peruvian experiences and Incan past. The Shining Path or Sendero Luminoso was a splinter party of the Peruvian Communist Party in 1870, organized by Abimael Guzman. It would be the Indian leader, Jose Carlos Mariategui (1895-1930) who said about revolution: revolution is the shining path of liberation.
The Shining Path or SPM denounced these major ideas:
- Imperialism of the USSR & US
- Capitalism (US/Western Europe)
- Bureaucratic/Revisionist (PRC/USSR)
- International centers of communism (USSR & China)
The major problems with the economy of Peru were:
- 80 per 1000 in the infant mortality rates (1991)
- 55% of people lived below the poverty line (1992)
- Calorie and protein dropped 30% (1980s)
- Country could not feed itself
- Civil war kills 25000 people
Society had to be a society of “great harmony”, On page 327, use the quotes to determine a list of the characteristics of a Shining Path or SPM society
- without exploited nor exploiters,
- without oppressed nor oppressors,
- without classes, nor State,
- nor parties, nor democracy,
- nor arms, nor war
Tupac Amaru (Burns pp. 71-72, 309 and folder)
The full name of the MRTA is Movimiento Revolutionario Tupac Amaru.
The first time the Tupac Amaru emerged was in 1780, being an uprising of the poor against the Spanish colonial system system. This Indian rebellion was led by José Gabriel Condorcanqui Noguera. The idea behind the movement. was to make the native Indian culture and language (called Quechua) more available in schools and society, restoring pride in being Inca. The rebellion was crushed by the Spanish.
The most recent version of the Tupac Amaru emerged as a Marxist urban guerrilla movement, using terrorism to accomplish their goals. The MRTA spoke for the poor, as the poor are the victims of the neo-liberal economy. The MRTA wanted to undo societal injustice and create a government of the poor. By 1990 the Tupac Amaru was nearly on the verge of collapse as their support dwindled. With the election of Alberto Fujimori, some of his reforms were designed to attract the poor. These included providing electricity & water supply to poor residential districts and building new schools.
As the rural poor came to support President Fujimori, the MRTA reorganized themselves as urban terrorists with Fujimori as the enemy. In December, 1996, the Tupac Amaru occupied the Japanese Embassy, The purpose was to speak on behalf of the poorest segments of society, publize their existence to the Peruvian People, and capture worldwide attention.