The Caudillo System in Latin America
The caudillo system established in Latin America after the wars for independence consisted of unstable transitional governments that achieved few of the goals recognized in an effective democratic government. Despite these shortcomings, the caudillo system maintained a predictable social order and prevented chaos. This system was the best available until the formation of a middle class could be achieved, resulting in a more democratic political system.
The caudillo system came to be a common form of government in Latin America for several reasons. The first, and most apparent, reason for the establishment of the caudillo system, was the weak, precarious, and unstable governments left in place after independence was achieved. These countries, once colonies, had been under the rule of Spain, which meant that all government control came from an outside source that was imposed upon the inhabitants. Local armies, the only organized group prepared to take control, assumed power once the Spaniards were defeated. The transition from a military government to a government controlled by a "hero" from the army, the caudillo, was both logical and easy.
The caudillo often came from the creole aristocracy, which was supported by the military and the Roman Catholic Church. Occasionally, a mestizo or mulatto took power who quickly adopted the characteristics of the upper class. The main problem with having a creole in power was that his const...
Creoles struggle loyalty to their motherland and birth country. In Document A Simon Bolivar stated that creoles are in a complicated situation. They are trying to decide which side they should support. In Document B it showed how unfair creoles were treated even though by blood, peninsulares and creoles are the same. The creoles had a lot less power and worst jobs. The
Captivation or being restrained due to certain circumstances that prevents free choice is usually one of many great reasons to form revolutionary ideas. To get from captivation to liberation, one must consider change, a major component needed in order to gain freedom after enslavement. Latin America, in the eighteen hundreds, sought the need for change due to the resentment of the Spanish rule. Simon Bolivar, the revolutionary leader of Latin America, will seek independence from Spain. It was in Jamaica where Bolivar wrote a letter known as the “Jamaican Letter”, one of Bolivar’s greatest proposals. The letter emphasizes his thoughts and meanings of the revolution while envisioning a variety of governmental structures, of the New World, that could one day be recognized.
Honour was a principle that members of colonial society protected fiercely but whether one’s bloodline automatically inherited respect was debatable. The diverse society of ten required the judicial system to settle when these interests collided. During the colonial period, the defining characteristic of Latin American society was its highly stratified society. The rights afforded to the different social classes differed greatly depending on which class they belong. Those with pure Spanish blood were the elites of the society. Beneath them on the social hierarchy lay the plebians, people with mixed racial backgrounds including creoles and mulattoes. Next were the “indios” (indigenous
A social pyramid was put into place. This was based on the authenticity related to pure Spanish blood. Even though, the Spanish wanted the native to follow their livelihood, it ended up that all cultures collided. Within the social pyramid was 6 groups. There were the peninsulares, creole, mulattos, mestizos, natives, and African slaves. The peninsulares and creole were pure Spanish blood, while the mulattos and mestizos were a mix of race. A gab between these people was created. The only group whom had any kind of power were the peninsulares. The creole might not have had power, but they were still living a life of luxury. As for the other four groups, they were treated all about the same. They owned hardly any land and were given very few rights. Becoming outraged, rebellion acts and talk of revolution sprung about in the lower
The Creoles wanted to somehow get political power, but they were being rejected of it; however, they were gaining nobility. They owned the “largest and richest mines and haciendas” (Hook Exercise), but even with wealth, the Creoles “held few high-ranking jobs in the government” (Hook Exercise); hence, those jobs went to the peninsulares. They were also the “least oppressed” (Modern World History) of those who were born in the Latin America as well as the most educated, for they adopted the Enlightenment ideas. Also, when the monarchy collapsed, the Creoles wouldn’t let the “political vacuum to remain unfilled, their lives and
The destruction of entire people is often overlooked, due to the important fact that it is usually the victor that writes the history books and the facts to be. In Alex Nava’s Wonder and Exile, in the New World adventurers of many backgrounds such as Cabeza de Vaca and Bartolome Las Casas, help to develop three important concepts within the cultural, religious, and literary representations of modern day Latin America. Over a span of 500 years Nava’s three concepts of wonder, exile, and deprivation are shown to have an importance in the shape and further development of the Americas and its Native peoples.
Following the wars of Independence, in the early 1800’s, Latin American countries adopted a representative form of government based on a constitution. Newly independent countries weren’t immediately full-on democracies, so citizens weren’t yet given full rights. Suffrage was limited to free men who owned a certain amount of property or engaged in specific occupations. Only 5 to 10% of the population was eligible to vote and participate in the government due to anarchist, socialist, and communist parties that overruled in some countries. However, revolutions in many countries began, in which many of them were initiated because citizens longed for more rights.
The conquest of Latin America was a fairly quick process in which the theme of hegemony was vastly prominent. The cultures of colonialism and competitive nature to obtain wealth through exploitation were the main driving force of hegemony. It is natural to exploit the people of lower class or societal rank for one's own advantage, and that is what happened. As the pressure of power and control became overbearing toward the people, resistance was sure to follow.
Early in the nineteenth century rebellion against European authority broke out in Latin America. First, slaves on the island of Haiti revolted against their French masters. Led by former slave Toussaint L'Overture the Haitians defeated France making Haiti the...
My first vocabulary word is Caudillos. Caudillos are strong military men, that gain power as defenders of order and property.
Creoles were native born whites that had grown resentful of the Peninsulars in the 1700s. The Creoles and Peninsulars had a power struggle in the caste system in the Spanish American society. The Creoles owned the land and most of the population lived under the landowners. The Creoles wanted to keep the people of mixed race down, and opposed successful mixed race people climbing the social ladder and gaining any power. These people had many reasons to rebel against the Creoles, one of which was due to the fact that the Creoles had little interest in changing a social hierarchy they dominated. Fast-forwarding to Mexico in the 1800s, the Creoles dominated the town council of Mexico City, known as a cabildo. The cabildo, run by the Creoles, saw
The Latinization of America is already here. The ongoing public promotion by a White racist movement to become anti-Hispanic, anti-black and anti-immigrant amongst an older white working class , scared to lose their jobs and the certain diminish aging culture threatens to divide the United States into two the young working Latino versus the old, sick and unemployed White American with two different set of priorities and even more incompatible socioeconomic future . The endgame for American citizens should be to live in harmony, without bias against any race, color or ethnicity but this may be a utopia harder to achieve unless a change of heart takes place by the white nativist minority. Los Angeles, California
Now days democracy has been establish in every Latin America country except Cuba, which is still a socialist state. It seemed that every other alternative form of government such as Marxism or Leninism has failed and been replaced by democracy. Furthermore it looks like people in Latin American really enjoy democracy and its’ benefits, as they also consider it to be the best form of government. After the failure of authoritarian leaders and the military intervene their lives, Latin American citizens wanted to change their system into a more fair and honest system, democracy. Democracy is usually defined as a system of honesty, equality, freedom of rights, though for Latin America countries it means gains, welfare and patronage. Latin American did not work the democratic system properly as it should be and different obstacles keep the system away from being consolidated. Democracy in Latin America still face serious problems in matters as grinding poverty, huge social gaps, corruption, drug dealing, inefficient governments and most importantly governments who promote and use military. The real question is why democracy actually failed even though democracy is what people want. Paraguay is a case of failure in transition democracy because of the corruption and other things that will be argued in this essay. Paraguay and Ecuador are considered to be the only countries that democratization did not achieve consolidation, in differ from Chilli and Central American.
Reflecting back on the statement historian Jaime E. Rodriguez gave on the impact that independence had on the people of Latin America. “The emancipation of [Latin America] did not merely consist of separation from the mother country, as in the case of the United States. It also destroyed a vast and responsive social, political, and economic system that functioned well despite many imperfections.” I believe that the eagerness to get rid of slaves
[QUOTE]Why is that many(If not most)people nowadays think that all people Latin American descent are nonwhite?I can understand if they have significant Amerindian and/or Black Admixture(As is the case with most Mexicans and Dominicans),but how can person reconcile saying that an individual like this Cuban-American gentleman(Who's phenotype is of pure Southern European inspiration and clearly Mediterranean*)or this woman(Who is also of Cuban descent and is obviously Nordic)below is not Caucasian(White)with their logic?I mean has the erroneous notion that Hispanic is a race become so embedded in the American psyche that people have completely lost touch reality?