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Colonial Latin america economy essay
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Post-Depression Industrialization in Latin America
For most of the first century after independence, all republics in Latin America followed an economic policy of export-led growth based on primary-product exports. The tremendous economic crisis of the 1930s that had a crushing and widespread impact on Latin America; precipitated by the global economic depression, forced Latin American nations to re-evaluate this exogenous economic growth model and to transform their economic policies in the direction of long-neglected diversification of the economy, particularly toward an endogenous model oriented to industrialization.
In order to understand the economic growth model shift from export-led to industrialization through the substitution of imports (or import-substituting industrialization) it is important to have some historical context in relation to Latin American dependence on the former export-led growth model and the degree to which the global economic crisis of the 1930s impacted Latin America.
It is generally accepted that, beginning in the 1930s and continuing for approximately fifty years, Latin America embraced increased industrialization, in the form of import-substituting industrialization (ISI), as the new growth model on which hopes for an economic recovery, long-term stability, and growth would rest. This endogenous model is the primary focus of the analysis to be undertaken in this paper. In order to appropriately complete the discourse in relation to this topic, some brief examination must be turned toward the vast social and political upheaval and the major transformations in the social and political structures that resulted from the crisis, ensuing from the over reliance on an export orientation of th...
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Diaz Alejandro, Carlos. "Latin America in the 1930s", In Latin America in the 1930s; the
role of the periphery in world crisis, ed. R. Thorp, pp. 17-49. London: Macmillan Press, 1984.
Dietz, James. "A Brief Economic History." In Latin America's Economic Development,
ed. James Dietz, pp. 3-19. London: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 1995.
Furtado, Celso. Economic Development of Latin America: A Survey from Colonial Times
to the Cuban Revolution. London: Cambridge University Press, 1970.
Glade, William. The Latin American Economies: A Study of their Institutional Evolution.
New York: American Book, 1969.
Swift, Jeannine. Economic Development in Latin America. New York: St. Martin's Press,
1978.
Weaver, Frederick. Latin America in the World Economy: Mercantile Colonialism to
Global Capitalism. Boulder: Westview Press, 2000.
The depression in the 1930’s in the country of Argentina was one of the most devastating internationally. In 1929, Argentina had the fourth highest gross domestic product; however a few short months later, this would no longer be considered the case. Considering that the economy heavily depended on foreign trade for daily essential produces, the economy was deficient of vital goods and thus lacked important industry. Mainly dependent on the foreign capital from Great Britain at the time, domestic industry was severely affected by the market crash due to the halt of British domestic capital investment. Through the Domino Effect, mass and widespread unemployment was a major and constant theme in the Argentinian culture at the time. This further affected the government revenue dropped significantly as the export of the country faulted investment and imports were decreased exponentially due to the international depression. As a result of the decline in national revenue, grand deficits began to appear. To repair the shortage of the countries’ profits, the government began to borrow mo...
Time and rules have been transforming countries in many ways; especially, in the 1850’s and the 1920’s, when liberals were firmly in control across Latin American region. Liberalism can be defined as a dominant political philosophy in which almost every Latin American country was affected. A sense of progress over tradition, reason over faith, and free market over government control. Although each country was different, all liberals pursued similar policies. They emphasize on legal equality for all citizens, progress, free trade, anti-slavery, and removing power from church. Liberals declared promising changes for Latin American’s future. But Latin America had a stronger hierarchical society with more labor systems, nothing compare to the United States societies. Liberals weren’t good for Latin America. What I mean by “good” is the creation of a turning point or some type of contribution towards success. I define “good” as beneficial or helpful. The Latin American economy was stagnant between 1820 and 1850 because of independence wars, transportation and the recreation of facilities. I describe this era as, “the era when Latin America when off road”.
...reated an emerging working class as a response to factories and the need for people to work them; as a response to immense social tensions of industrialization, both regions had distinct revolutions for better working conditions. Russia and Latin America responded differently to industrialization in that Russia created a socialist political party and a unified working class in order to combat industrial social tensions leading to an international, long term, effect of their revolution whereas Mexico experienced factionalism which led to short-term effects condensed within their region solely. Also, Russia responded to industrialization by creating steady enterprises, manufacturing efforts, and foreign investments unlike Latin America which did not engage in manufacturing or investments, thus did not have an ‘Industrial Revolution” as did their Russian counterparts.
...a of Latin America: The Age of Globalization 3 (2010). Modern World History Online. Web. 11 May 2014.
Many years of war made Latin America’s economy suffer, and made it almost impossible to be able to recover from their debt. A stable economy was crucial to be able to gain credibility, from other countries so that investments would continue. In Peru, for example the silver mines and machinery where destroyed beyond repair. “Horrendous economic devastation had occurred during the wars of independence. Hardest hit were…Peruvians silver mines. Their shafts flooded, there costly machinery wrecked.” 120(Chasteen ). This made Peru suffer greatly because this was one of their main trades. In Mexico, one of their largest economic struggles was the lack of transportation infrastructure, meaning that Mexico did not have railroads. Mexico also lacked navigable rivers which made it much harder to be able to...
Latin America after the Wars of Independence, were looking to modernize the nations after years of unstable politically and economically. This new idea called “progress” was to change Latin America for the better of the nations that took part of the progress. More European influences came during the period to help nations progress even further.
Benjamin Keen, Keith Haynes. A History of Latin America Seventh Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company. Boston New York, 2004.
Neoliberalism is a form of economic liberalism that emphasizes the efficiency of private enterprise, liberalized trade, and relatively open markets. Neoliberals seek to maximize the role of the private sector in determining the political/economic priorities of the world and are generally supporters of economic globalization. During the 1930s and the late 1970s most Latin American countries used the import substitution industrialization model to build industry and reduce dependency on imports from foreign countries. The result of the model in these c...
Mignolo, W. D. (2005). The Idea of Latin America (pp. 1-94). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.
Mignolo, W. D. (2005). The Idea of Latin America (pp. 1-94). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.
The political power has had enormous affect to the Latin American economy. Most of the countries in the Latin America remained colonies for over a long period of time; therefore, they were controlled by the Europeans power. These colonies never thought of development of the Latin American countries, rather all wealth from the colonies was taken out to the home country. This situation is similar to other colonized continents such as Asia and Africa. Almost every colonized country in the world is still in the process of development. These countries were never benefited economically from the colonizers. Therefore, the historic imperialism is still harming countries in the Latin America as well as they are still underdeveloped. According to Marxist theory “The colonies were used as places to invest surplus capital and sell goods from the colonizing countries and as sources of cheap raw materials and cheap labor.”(P165) Therefore, the investors will always get high benefits from their investment; however, the raw materials will get low prices for it. Hence, still Latin American countries face various problems due to the excessive use of natural resources and due to late from the Europeans
The main purpose of this paper is to study and analyze the effects that the U.S. Free Trade Agreement have in Colombia’s developing economy by demonstrating the effects in Colombia’s GDP after the agreement, the effects in farmers, illegal drugs, and in the internal market share...
Most Latin America countries are known as third world countries because the economic structure still in development. To overcome such judgment the countries had been developing different policies since the 1970s. The policies promise to help the countries to obtain a healthier economy and have an economic growth. The author Franko explains in the book The Puzzles of Latin America Economic Development how the economist Paul Rosenstein “believes that in order to achieve sustained growth, an economy must develop various industries simultaneously, requiring a coordination of investment or a big push.” (pg. 19) But to accomplished economic growth countries need to reduce the government control over the economy and start developing a market-base economy. Market-base economy would not only guarantee positive results of development, but will also create a more stable economy. Mexico is one of the countries that have integrated new policies and other economic change which have been giving the country positive results mainly on its economy.
Around the 1930s, Brazil and Latin American began following the process of Import Substitution Industrialization, which lasted until the end of the 1980s. The ISI policies devaluated the currency in order to boost exports and discourage imports, followed by adopting different exchange rates for goods (Watkins). ISI in Brazil had an interesting effect; it created a three-prong system of governmental, private, and foreign capital being directed at the infrastructure and heavy industry, manufacturing goods, and the production of durable goods. The program worked at first but then became a serious economic problem. When the 1980s came around Brazil realized that ISI policies lead to inefficient industries because of their lack of exposure to international competition, the policies ignoring the rural sector, and finally limiting the local producers. Following the end of the ISI policies, Brazil went through many plans to correct the economy and none seemed to work until the Real Plan made real changes to the country.
The Latin American Debt crisis did not occur over night, the crisis was many years in the making and signs of its arrival were prominent in Latin American society. The reasons for its occurrence are also expansive; some fault can also be place in countries outside of Latin America. The growth rate in the real domestic product of many Latin American countries grew at a constantly high rate in the decade prior to the crisis in the 1980s, this growth led to an increase in foreign investment, corporate investment, and the world began supporting these developing nations (Ocampo). The foreign investments into Latin America created a new international financial system that gave the foreign banks access the funds to give massive loans to the developing nations of Latin America. However, the affluence was not continuous. A rise in natural resources occurred in the mid-1970s, which led to increase the prices of imported goods, and thus Latin American countries would have to find a way to pay back these deficits, which then led them to borrowing more money. By the end of the 1970s, Latin America was in debt to for over $150 billion, and the growth rates for each nations debt varied greatly with Mexico and Brazil taking on more than half of the debt themselves.