Latin America and the United States in the Twentieth Century

Abstract

There can be few areas of the world as complex or as rich in paradox as Latin America. Although most of the republics are strongly Iberian in culture, share a common colonial and historical background, a common religion and legal system, a common political culture and a common intellectual and educational tradition, it is the enormous variation, the startling contrast, not the common pattern, that prevails. Ethnically, Argentina, Uruguay and Chile are largely homogeneous societies of European stock; Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Paraguay and Mexico are dualistic Indian-Spanish societies; Brazil, Venezuela and Cuba are blends of Indian, Iberian and African. For most of the twentieth century, the countries have varied from repressive authoritarian regimes (Paraguay until 1989) to liberal and democratic societies (Costa Rica). Even military regimes have been intriguingly different: rightist, leftist, nationalist and a variety of mixed civilian-military regimes exist. Economic conditions are equally diverse. Capitalism, socialism, semi-feudalism and mercantilist economies exist alongside each other. Argentina, Mexico and southern Brazil are industrially developed economies. Ecuador and Paraguay, among others, are essentially agricultural economies.