all were colonies of European powers (esp. Spain & Portugal)
most speak Spanish or Portuguese
most are Roman Catholics
due to these common factors, there is a western stereotype that people of L.A. are the similar
The Problems
Wealth hinging on export of a few raw materials
Chile dependent on nitrates and copper
Venezuela dependent on oil
Argentina dependent on meat exports
by spending profits on exports on the purchase of imported manufactured goods, industrialization was slow to take place
U.S.A. traditionally being both main customer and supplier of L.A.
Development of large urban areas not dependent on growth of industry
complete contrast with most of the world
tens of thousands of very poor people condemned to live in shanty town areas
causes one of the worst problems for Latin America: wealth gap
tremendous gap between rich and poor incomes since 1968
esp. worse due to rise of cost of living
poverty also creates another large problem for L.A:
population explosion
Examples
Venezuela
more than 90% of wealth comes from oil exports to U.S.A.
2% of people work in oilfields
35% scratch a living on soil
can only afford wooden or adobe houses
floors made made of earth and few windows have glass
most people still living on maize, beans, roots, and tubers
1920, Venezuela’s population was 2.5million
1966, population reached 8.25 million
half being young people under 18
yet… oil profits have built motorways that could put British roads to shame
Argentina
during dictatorship of President Peron (1956-1955), he tried to raise standard of living of poor city dwellers
increased wages and gave them holidays with pay
resulted in formation of trade unions and support for Peron
failed to improve for lot of peasants, and after droughts and bad harvests of 1925, discontent grew
after wife died and power waning, Peron gave up office in 1955
regardless, Argentina became the world’s biggest meat exporter and important grain producer
population explosion less serious than elsewhere, and education standards are higher
Solutions
most other republics face difficult problems, hoping to find a solution through rapid industrialization and increasing trade with one another
done to replace dependency on the U.S.
formed the Central American Market and Latin American Free Trade Association
Brazil led the way in new methods of industrial and agricultural production
came at cost to humanity
ex. in attempt to reclaim land for arable crops and growing sugar to make alcohol (as a replacement fuel for petrol), Brazil destroyed millions of hectares of Amazon rain forest