Latin America in the
20th Century
Chapter 32
Mexico: Revolution
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1876-1910: Diaz’s repressive dictatorship
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Export economy w/ elite land ownership
Foreign control spreads nationalism
1910-1920: Civil War & Revolution
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Turmoil as Villa & Zapata push for peasantbased reforms: land reform
Only modern warfare allowed Obregon to end
dispute amidst widespread devastation
Mexico: Revolutionary Aftermath
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Constitution of 1917
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Party of Institutionalized Revolution (PRI)
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Secular
Redistribution of land
Education
One-party rule & stability
Economic growth rather than social justice
Multi-party democracy & NAFTA today
Political & Economic Change

Nationalism from economic dependence
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1920s & 1930s – liberal ideals challenged
by authoritarianism
1950s & 1960s – Cold War brings
communism to region
1960s & 1970s – military dictators oust
communists
1980s – democracy
~All with heavy U.S. involvement
1920s & 1930s

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Liberal democracies dominated by elites
Depression, intellectuals, universities
call for radical change
Art reacts to Western failing w/
indigenism
Brazil

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Authoritarianism echoes Europe’s
interest in Fascism
Vargas

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Industrialization
&
Political repression
WWII – side with Allies leading to
democracy
1950s & 1960s
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Governments swing toward
communism

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Cold War brings foreign involvement
Guatemala

Nationalizing United Fruit prompts CIA
coup
Cuba

Castro reactions to U.S. influence
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Communism =

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Failed economic policies

Successful social programs
Che Guevara exports communist
ideology
1960s & 1970s

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Conservatives & U.S. counter
communism w/ military rule
Political & economic stability w/o
human rights
1980s

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Democracy

U.S. wins Cold War

Military regimes lack success
Communist sympathies remain
Societies in Search of Change

Catholicism

Indigenous equality
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Women

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Legal equality but lagging social progress
Urbanization
Global Connections
Independent & democratic
…but problems remain…
Yielding middle position b/t developed
& developing world