Politics of Latin America The Power Game

Now in its seventh edition, Politics of Latin America: The Power Game explores both the evolution and the current state of the political scene in Latin America. This text demonstrates a nuanced sensitivity to the use and abuse of power and the importance of social conditions, gender, race, globalization, and political economy throughout the region. It is uniquely divided into two parts: one that treats big-picture, thematic questions, and one that focuses on particular countries through case studies of ten representative nations: Guatemala, Mexico, Cuba, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Colombia, Nicaragua, and Bolivia.

Harry Vanden is Professor Emeritus of Political Science and International Studies at the University of South Florida.

Gary Prevost is Professor Emeritus of Political Science at St. John's University and the College of St. Benedict.

Maps and Frequently Cited Acronyms
List of Tables and Figures
Preface
Introduction: Notes on Studying Politics in Latin America

1. An Introduction to Twenty-First Century Latin America
Geography
Once There Were Rain Forests
The People
The Land
The Mega Cities: Urbanization

2. Early History
People in the Americas before the Conquest
Indigenous Civilization
The Conquest
How Could They Do It?
Early Colony
Establishing a New Social Structure: The Castas
Women and Power
Labor
Slavery and Other Forms of Organization
Production, Trade, and Extraction of Riches
The Church
Colonial State Organization
Governmental Organization
The Bourbon Reforms

3. Democracy and Dictators: A Historical Overview from Independence to the Present Day
Independence
The French Revolution, Local Uprisings, and Independence
Argentina, 1806-1810
Early Drive for Independence in Hispanic America
Brazilian Independence
Early Years of Independence
The Aftermath of Independence and the Monroe Doctrine
1850-1880
1880-1910
Post-1910
The Mexican Revolution
Democratic Reformism in Uruguay
Democracy and Dictatorship in Argentina
Authoritarianism, Aprismo, Marxismo, and Democracy in Peru
Democracy, Socialism, Intervention, and Dictatorship in Chile
Cuba, Colonialism, and Communism
Earlier Attempts at Change: Bolivia and Colombia
Brazil, U.S. Foreign Policy, and the National Security State
The Cold War and Change
The Dominican Case
Central America and U.S. Hegemony
The Post-Cold War Period and U.S. Hegemony
Military Dictatorship and Bureaucratic Authoritarianism
Venezuela: Dictatorship, Democracy, and the Post-Cold War Bolivarian Republic
The Pink Tide and the Rightest Resurgence
Growth, Persistent Poverty, and Immigration to the United States
Central American Gangs: The Maras

4. The Other Americans
People of Color under Colonialism
European Justification
The Role of Sugar and Slavery
Resistance to Slavery
The Slave Trade
Concept of Race
Contemporary Manifestations of Racial Inequality
Contemporary Afro-Descendant Movements
Contemporary Struggle of the Indigenous People
Ecuador
Bolivia
Brazil
Mexico
Conclusion

5. Society, Family, and Gender
Family and Gender Roles
Women and Patriarchy
Changing Role of Women
Class, Gender, Race, and Mobility
Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity
6 Religion in Latin America
Indigenous Religious Practice
Colonial Catholic Church
The Church in Modern Latin America
A New Political Role
Impact of Liberation Theology
Protestantism and Pentecostalism
African-Inspired Religions
Judaism
Conclusion

7. The Political Economy of Latin America
On Economics and Political Economy
The Latin American Economy
Agrarian Production
Dependency and Underdevelopment
Foreign Investment and Enclave Production
The Crop that Could
Ra?l Prebisch and the ECLA
Dependency Theory
Import Substitution Industrialization
Export Orientation
Increasing Foreign Debt and the Debt Crisis
Structural Adjustment and the Move to Neoliberalism
Neoliberalism
Key Components of Neoliberalism and the Washington Consensus
Globalization
Privatization and Neoliberalism
Regional Integration, NAFTA, and the Globalization Process
Latin America's Regional Integration Projects
Economic Legacy
Environmental Issues
Twenty-First-Century Prospects

8. Democracy and Authoritarianism: Latin American Political Culture
Authoritarian Legacy and Weak Democratic Tradition
The Caudillo Tradition
Democratic Deficit
Democracy Grows
Military Rule and Bureaucratic Authoritarianism
Democratization
Individualism
Conflictual Attitudes
Elitism and Pacted Democracy
Personalism
Strongman Rule: Caudillo, Cacique, and Coronel
Cuartel, Cuartelazo, Golpe de Estado, and the Junta
Pol?ticos and Pol?ticas
Corporate Values and Corporatism
Patron-Client, Clientelism, and Other Special Relations
Improvisation and Jeito
Conclusion

9. Politics, Power, Institutions, and Actors
Constitutions
State of Siege
Code Law
Corporatism
Institutions
The President
Legislature
Courts
Government Structure and Local Government
Centralization, Decentralization, and Federalism
Electoral Tribunals
The Bureaucracy
New Directions: Democracy and Democratization
Political Actors
Traditional Large Landowners: Latifundistas
Business and Industrial Elites
The Middle or Intermediate Sectors
Organized Labor
Rural Poor
The Military
Government Bureaucrats
Political Parties
Common Characteristics
Conclusion

10. Struggling for Change: Revolution, Social, and Political Movements in Latin America
Cuba
Other Revolutionary Endeavors
Nicaragua
El Salvador
Guatemala
Colombia
Peru
New Social Movements
Argentine Manifestation
Chiapas: Regional Victory
Ecuador
New Social Movements and New Politics
The MST
Bolivia
Conclusion

11. U.S.-Latin American Relations
Territorial Expansion: Confrontation with Mexico
Dreams of Cuba
Economic Transformation
Gunboat Diplomacy, the Big Stick, and Dollar Diplomacy
The Roosevelt Corollary
Dollar Diplomacy
Latin American Reaction
Good Neighbor Policy
Democracy and World War II
The Rio Treaty and the Organization of American States
Guatemalan Case
Alliance for Progress
National Security Doctrine
September 11 Coup in Chile
Counterinsurgency
Cold War in Central America
Latin America and the Post-Cold War World
Latin American Initiatives
Prospects for the Future

12. Mexico, Nora Hamilton and Patrice Olsen
Introduction
Historical Trajectory
Early History
Independence and the Mexican Republic (1810-1910)
The Mexican Revolution (1910-1940)
Mexico's Political Economy
The "Perfect Dictatorship": 1940-1982
The "Mexican Miracle"
Economic Liberalization
Uneven Progress Toward Democracy
Government Structures and Political Organizations
Interest Groups, NGOs, and Dissidents
Business Groups
Labor and Peasant Groups
Indigenous Groups
Women and Gender Issues
Religion
Drug Cartels
Human Rights, Civic, and Environmental Organizations
Foreign and International Groups
Other Groups and Organizations
Conclusion

13. Argentina, Aldo C. Vacs
Political Evolution
From Colony to Oligarchic Republic
The Ascent and Fall of Mass Democracy
The Rise and Decline of Peronism
Authoritarianism and Limited Democracy
Military Regime and State Terror
The Return to Democracy
Liberal Democracy and Free Markets
Economic Crisis, Political Upheaval, and the Return of Populism
Back to Neoliberalism
Politics and Power
Constitutional Framework and Political Institutions
Main Political Parties
Interest Groups
Women's Roles
Looking Forward: Argentina's Political Prospects

14. Brazil, Wilber Albert Chaffee
Introduction
A Brief Political History
Democratic Interlude
Military Rule
The "New Republic"
Political Economy
Foreign Policy
Geography of Inequality
A Culture of Discrimination
Afro-Brazilians
Women
The Political System
The President
The Legislature
The Courts
Political Parties
Interest Groups
Business
Unions
Banking
Public Employees
Agrarian Reform
Landowners
Students
Organized Religion
The Amazon
Brazil Today

15. Chile, Eduardo Silva
Introduction
Political Economy
Political History
Military Government
Power and Politics
Chilean Government Structures
Political Institutions
Main Political Parties
Interest Groups
Women
Indigenous Peoples
Environmental Movement
Organized Business
Organized Labor
Catholic Church and University Students
Conclusion

16. Colombia, John C. Dugas
Economic and Social Context
Economic Development
Peasants and Urban Workers
Dominant Economic Classes
Demographic and Socio-Economic Changes
Political History
Nineteenth-Century Political Development
Early Twentieth Century Political Development
La Violencia
The National Front Regime (1958-1974)
The Post-National Front Period (1974-1990)
The Drug Trade In Colombia
The 1991 Constitution and Beyond
The Human Rights Movement in Colombia
The United States and Colombia
The Colombian Political Regime
Constitutional Structure
Limitations on Democratic Governance

17. Venezuela, Daniel Hellinger
Geography and People
Venezuela's History and Its Uses Today
Oil Changes Everything
The Rise and Fall of the Punto Fijo Regime
Rise of Chavismo
Survival Politics
Venezuela's Bolivarian Constitution and Institutional Framework
Political Actors in Bolivarian Venezuela
Pro government
The Opposition
Other Actors
Economic and Development Strategies in Bolivarian Venezuela
Political and Socio-Economic Crisis
An Uncertain Future

18. Bolivia, Waltraud Q. Morales and Annabelle Conroy
Introduction
Geopolitical Overview
Early History
Colonial Rule (1532-1809)
Independence and Caudillo Rule (1809-1879)
The War of the Pacific (1879-1884)
Republican Government (1880-1932)
The Chaco War and the Coming of Revolution (1932-1952)
From Revolution to Military Dictatorship (1952-1982)
Transition to Democratic Rule
Indigenous Resurgence and Populist Democracy
Refounding Bolivia
Bolivian Government
Social Movements and Indigenous Peoples
Important Women Activists
Third-Term Victory
The End of the Morales Era
The Challenge of Vivir Bien
Boliviain Presidents since 1930
Bolivia: Major Political Parties Since 1952

19. Cuba, Gary Prevost
Introduction
History
Revolution
Revolution in Power
Decade of the 1970s-Economic Changes
Cuban Response to the Collapse of the Soviet Union
Political Process
Political and Economic Reforms
Political Opposition and Civil Society
Cuba's International Relations
U.S.-Cuban Relations
Conclusion

20. Guatemala, Susanne Jonas and Harry E. Vanden
Precolonial, Colonial, and Neocolonial History
The Revolution of 1944-1954 and the 1954 CIA Intervention
Aftermath: Chronic Crisis
Insurgency and Counterinsurgency in the 1970s-1980s
Transition to Restricted Civilian Rule
Social Crisis and Reemergence of Social Movements
Guatemala's Peace Process (1990-1996)
Postwar Guatemala (1997-2013)
Presidents/Regimes Since the 1930s
Government Institutions
Interest Groups

21. Nicaragua, Gary Prevost and Harry E. Vanden
Introduction
The Modern Era
Carlos Fonseca and the Roots of the FSLN
Turning Point for Revolution
The FSLN in Power
Consolidating Political Institutions
The 1990 Election and After
The Sandinistas Return to Power
Nicaragua's Economy
Nicaraguan Government Structures
Interest Groups
Women
Workers
Business
Rural Groups
Armed Forces
Indigenous People
Political Parties
FSLN
Liberal Parties
Conclusion

Appendix 1: Presidential Elections
Appendix 2: Recent Legislative Elections
Authors and Contributors
Index