HIS 106
Chapter 27
Latin America From Independence to
1940s
Latin America
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Wanted independence for the same reasons
as the U.S. did
U.S. shares European heritage with Latin
America
Despite similarities, economic and political
development of Latin America is different
from that of Europe or the United States
Latin America has been less stable and less
prosperous than Europe and North America
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Perhaps neocolonialism can account for that;
they were economically dependent on others
even though they were independent politically
Brazil, however, was different; it prospered
right after independence
Brazil had a monarchy for 67 years after
independence and retained slavery until 1888
When the other republics broke from Spain,
they lost their major trading partner
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The wars for independence had been fought
in South America, so the damage was right in
their backyards
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Flooded mines
Disruption of agriculture
Scattered labor force
Not everyone backed the new governments run by
Creole elite. Many Latin American governments
looked to Britain for protection
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Another problem for new governments was
that the elites opposed social reform
All newly independent nations grated equal
rights, except for Brazil
However:
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Peasants were still subservient to landowners
Voting depended on how much property a person
owned –disenfranchising many
Racial prejudice remained
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There were no social revolutions to change
the status quo (rule by the elites), except for
Mexico, until the 1950s
Land was dominated by the hacienda system
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Work was harsh
Peasants lived on the haciendas
They could leave if they paid off their debts to the
landowner – debt peonage – virtually never
happened
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Transportation was difficult at best, so many
stayed where they were born
No education for the peasants or Indians, so
they couldn’t improve their lives
During second half of 19th century, some
moved to the cities creating an urban poor
and social discontent
The elites in control put down any uprisings
Economy
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Relied on exporting raw materials and
importing manufactured goods
In the 19th century, they dealt primarily with
Britain
In the 20th century, they dealt with the U.S.
To get more land for raw material use,
governments confiscated both Church and
Indian lands because they weren’t using it
efficiently
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The military who were often the best
educated elites adopted a French philosophy
of August Comte called Positivism
Advocated technological progress
 Technocrats and authoritarians could best
achieve modernization of economy
They also accepted European theories of “scientific
racism” that basically said that whites are good
and non white are bad or less good. Whites,
therefore, should be at the top.
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The theory stated that if an area was
economically backward, the non-whites and
the mixed bloods are to blame -- not the
governments of white elites
The military believed this, and they were very
influential in government
Mexico
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Government was very conservative from time
of independence until 1910
No social overhauls during that time
Agustin de Iturbide
Was the first ruler from 1820 – 1823
 Governed as emperor
 Died in 1824
For the rest of the century, Mexico had strong
dictators with ties to the military - Caudillos
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Iturbide
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Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna
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one of the strongest caudillos
The general who fought the United States over
Texas
Exiled in in 1855 as a result of La Reforma, a
movement against Santa Anna’s dictatorship
They wanted
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Economic progress
Civilian rule
Political stability
Anti-Church
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La Reforma led to civil war
Benito Juarez
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Came to power in 1861
Faced:
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Backward agriculture as a result of the hacienda system
Mines in poor condition
Primitive transportation
Few domestic industries
Debts to foreigners
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Clerics and conservatives asked Austrian
Archduke Maximilian, backed by France, to
become Emperor of Mexico
1867 – Juarez captured and executed
Maximilian; picture p. 609
Liberals like Juarez held power until 1876; he
never really had popular support because of
how they treated the Catholic Church
Maximilian
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Porfirio Diaz
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Ruled from 1876 – 1911
Dictator
Stayed in power by giving everyone just a little of
what they wanted
Made peace with the Church
Suppressed his opponents
Allowed foreigners to invest, especially the U.S.
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By 1900, U.S. owned $2 billion in Mexican
property. We owned most of the railroads, 60% of
oil wells, and most of the mines.
Diaz retained the hacienda system
95% of Mexicans had no land
Wages went down
Porfirio Diaz was overthrown by Francisco Madero
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This ushered in 10 years of revolution where
1 in every 8 Mexicans was killed and 2
presidents were assassinated.
Francisco Madero
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Ruled from 1911- 1913
Idealist
Wanted democracy
Was assassinated by his own general, Victoriano
Huerta
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Victoriano Huerta
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Overthrown with the help of U.S.
Woodrow Wilson didn’t like having an assassin as
president of Mexico
Ruled from 1913-1914
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Venustiano Carranza
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Ruled from 1914 -1920
Set up a constitution but didn’t enforce it
Called for land redistribution
Announced “Mexico is for Mexicans”
Still allowed U.S. to invest in Mexico
Challenged by Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata.
Zapata led an agrarian reform movement and had
the support of peasants. He was assassinated in
1919
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Carranza was assassinated in 1920
In the 1920s, Obregon and Plutarco Calles
took power.
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They tried to modernize a bit
They redistributed some land
Calles organized the PRI, the Institutional
Revolution Party
The PRI remained in power for the rest of the 20th
century
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Lazaro Cardenas
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Became president in 1934
Tried to fulfill the promises made in 1917 by
Carranza
Had support of the peasants
Redistributed 44 million acres of land and broke
the hacienda system
Took strong stand against the U.S. by seizing
control of its oil industry and other properties,
offering to reimburse Americans for their losses
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Americans felt the offer was too low, and didn’t
readily accept it
FDR finally did because he remembered how
Germany wanted to get Mexico to attack U>S., so
that U.S. wouldn’t enter World War I. Things were
heating up again in Europe
This kept Mexico and South America on Allied
side in World War II
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Manuel Avila Camacho
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Elected in 1940
Worked on economic development
Government was democratic taking on its social
responsibilities
Camacho
Argentina
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There were 3 distinct eras between the time
of independence and World War II
1. 1810-mid-century
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Rebellion against Spain
Internal struggles to see which region would be
dominant
2. 1853 – 1916
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Economic expansion
European immigration that transformed their
society
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3.
1916 – 1943
- a failed democratic state
- an economy they did not control
1810 – Mid-Century
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Internal struggles after throwing off Spain
Buenos Aires came out on top and
dominated trade as a port city
Commercial treaty of 1823 named Britain as
main trading partner
Juan Manuel de Rosas became dictator of
Buenos Aires
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Negotiated the Pact of the Littoral that put Buenos
Aires in charge of trade and foreign relations
de Rosas
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Rosas
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Expanded trade
Suppressed Indians
Encouraged nationalism
Other provinces resented Rosas
1852 – Rosas was overthrown
1853 - 1916
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1853, Argentine Republic established and
Buenos Aires remained dominant
Had agricultural economy, mainly animal
products
Internal transportation was poor
Country was sparsely populated
1876, technology entered in the form of a
refrigerated ship to transport beef
Wheat growing expanded to the pampas
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British constructed and managed a railroad
Wheat and beef production increased making
Argentina one of the richest nations in Latin
America
By 1900, Argentina was much more
urbanized and industrialized
Professionals and the middle class wanted
more say in government and an end to
corruption
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This led to the formation of the Radical Party
in 1890
This brings in the 3rd era: 1916 – 1943
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The leader of the Radical Party was Hipolito
Irigoyen
He was elected president in 1916
He promised to improve the lives of peasants and
the middle class
His government became corrupt and power
returned to the landed elites
Hipolito Irigoyen
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1930, a military coup returned power to
conservatives
Argentina was still dependent on Britain for
its export market ---- this was the time of the
Great Depression and Argentina was also
affected
Nacionalismo arose among many of the
educated in the 1930s
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Nacionalismo
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Similar to European Fascism
Saw British and American dominance of their economy as
imperialism
Rejected liberalism
Hated communism
Were anti-Semitic
Supported the Catholic Church
Advocated social reforms for workers and the poor
Supported caudillos
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1943, military took power
Hostile to Britain
 Admired fascism
 Wanted to address social problems wanted to
industrialize to get out from under foreign
influence
Colonel Juan Peron took part in the coup and was
put in charge of trade unions. He gained their
support and was more popular than the president
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Juan and Eva Peron
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Juan Peron
Was authoritarian
 Was anti-communist
 Was socially progressive
 Seized power in 1946 saying he had working
class support and help from his actress wife, Eva
 Was a caudillo with popular backing
 Eva Peron died in 1952
 Juan Peron was ousted in 1955
Argentina was still unstable
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Brazil
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Portuguese Colony
Independence in 1820s
Established a monarchy
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Pedro I gave constitution but abdicated in 1831
Pedro II his 15 year old son took power in 1831 –
1889. He was a constitutional monarch who
brought stability
Monarchy overthrown in 1889
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Army overthrew the monarchy because it
freed the slaves
Established a republic dominated by coffee
plantation owners
Brazilian Republic 1891-1930
Coffee was king
Military coup in 1930 brought in Getulio
Vargas
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Getulio Vargas
Was in power 1930-1945
 Gave concessions to the workers
 Built industry
 Became a dictator
1945 – another military coup took Vargas out of
power. They then brought in democracy with
foreign-financed industry.
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1950 – Vargas was elected president
He ws elderly and not as sharp
When a staffer became involved in the
assassination of a reporter, Vargas had to
resign
Vargas committed suicide in 1954
Brazil remained an unstable democracy
1957 – a capital city was built inland, Brasilia
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Poverty and illiteracy remained problems
In early 1960s – Joao Goulert took power
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Was a leftist
Wanted land reform
Questioned military influence in government
1964, military over threw Goulert
No more democracy