The Consolidation of Latin America

1830-1920

Part II

The Caudillos

The new nations suffered from the warfare ending in independence.

Armies loyal to their leaders led to the rise of caudillos, men who controlled local areas.

They intervened in national politics to make and unmake governments.

At times the caudillos defended the interests of regional elites, or of Indians and peasants.

In general they disregarded representative forms and the rule of law.

Politics

There were many differences among leaders about the forms of republican government.

Centralists wanted strong governments with broad powers while federalists favored awarding authority to regional governments.

The Church

The role of the church became a critical political player.

Liberals sought to limit its civil role, but met strong opposition from conservatives and the Papacy.

Caudillos, Politics, and the Church

The political parties that formed were led by landowners and the urban middle class; they argued about liberal or conservative ideas, but shared basic class loyalties.

The rest of the population was not concerned with political ideology.

The result was enduring political instability, with rapid turnovers of rulers and constitutions.

Stability vs Chaos

Only a few nations had general stability:

Chile after reforms of its system in 1833

and, The Brazilian monarchy.

For most of Latin America the basic questions of government and society remained unresolved.

Latin-American Economies and World Markets, 1820-1870

After the defeat of Napoleon any plans for ending Latin American independence were thwarted by the opposition of Britain and the United States.

The price for British support was freedom of trade.

The US had the Monroe Doctrine which was a declaration signed in 1823 that stated that any attempt by a European country to colonize the Americas would be considered an unfriendly act.

Neocolonialism

Britain replaced Spain as a dominant economic force in a type of neocolonial commercial system.

It became a major consumer of Latin American products and sold its manufactured goods to the new nations.

Export Economies &
The Old Order

The free entry and export of goods benefited port cities and landowners, but it damaged regional industries producing for internal markets.

The resulting dependency on foreign markets reinforced the old order which made land the basis of wealth and prestige.

Mid-Century Stagnation

The Latin American economy was stagnant between 1820 and 1850.

The mining sector had suffered from the independence wars, transportation and port facilities remained underdeveloped, and investment capital was lacking.

The situation changed after 1850 when European market expansion created demand for local products.

Exports

The export of coffee, hides, beef, minerals, grains, and guano brought revenues to governments, urban growth, and transportation improvements.

The Politics of Reform

Liberal reformers during the 1820s and 1830s attempted to break colonial patterns and follow European trends.

Latin American societies were not ready for many of the reforms as the conservative weight of the church, landowners, and army remained potent.

As a result, conservatives returned to power by the 1840s and halted or hindered reform.

An alliance between them and the peasantry emerged to oppose change.

Economic Resurgence and Liberal Politics

Liberals returned to power during the last quarter of the 19^th century. They based their policies on the positivism of Auguste Comte, stressing a scientific approach to social problems.

The shift was caused by changes in the nature of the Industrial Revolution and the age of imperialism.

Latin American economies expanded rapidly after 1850 and the population doubled.

Capitalist Expansion

There were new demands for Latin American products and foreign entrepreneurs and bankers joined liberals, landowners, and merchants to tie Latin America to the capitalist expansion of the Western economy.

Western Inspiration

The new political leaders were inspired by the example of Western Europe and the United States, but their distrust of their mass populations prevented the success of many efforts.

Latin American Serfdom

Economic growth often occurred at the expense of the peasantry; landowners and governments expropriated land and developed forms of tenancy, peonage, and disguised servitude.

Mexico: Instability and Foreign Intervention

The 1824 Mexican constitution was a federalist document that established a republic and guaranteed basic civil rights.

But it did not address the serious issues of inequitable distribution of land, the status of Indians, the problems of education, or the poverty of most of the population.

Santa Ana Takes Power

Santa Ana was the Mexican general who seized power after the collapse of the Mexican republic in 1835.

He was a typical caudillo and the defects of his regime drew foreign intervention by Spain and France.

Mexican-American War

War with the United States which believed that it was destined to rule from the Atlantic to the Pacific (Manifest Destiny) ended in Mexican defeat and the loss of about one-half of Mexico’s territory. (Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo - 1848)

Results of the War

The war left a bitter distrust of the United States and caused a serious loss of Mexican economic potential.

Politicians were forced to confront their nation's internal problems which had contributed to defeat.

Benito Juarez’s Revolt

Indian lawyer Benito Juárez led a liberal revolt titled La Reforma in 1854 and inaugurated a new constitution in 1857.

Military and church privileges were curtailed and church and Indian communal lands were sold to individuals.

Speculators, however, bought the land and left peasants and Indians poorer than previously.

The Reaction to Juarez

Conservative reaction led to civil war and the summoning of French assistance.

The French placed Maximilian von Habsburg on the throne, but Juárez refused to accept the foreign ruler.

When the French withdrew in 1867 Maximilian was captured and executed.

Juarez’s Return

As a result of Maximilian’s execution, Juárez regained office to lead an autocratic regime until his death in 1872.

By 1880 Mexico was about to enter a period of strong central government and political stability.


	The new nations suffered from the warfare ending in independence.
		Armies loyal to their leaders led to the rise of caudillos, men who controlled local areas.
		They intervened in national politics to make and unmake governments.
		At times the caudillos defended the interests of regional elites, or of Indians and peasants.
		In general they disregarded representative forms and the rule of law.


	There were many differences among leaders about the forms of republican government.
		Centralists wanted strong governments with broad powers while federalists favored awarding authority to regional governments.


	The role of the church became a critical political player.
	Liberals sought to limit its civil role, but met strong opposition from conservatives and the Papacy.


	The political parties that formed were led by landowners and the urban middle class; they argued about liberal or conservative ideas, but shared basic class loyalties.
	The rest of the population was not concerned with political ideology.

	The result was enduring political instability, with rapid turnovers of rulers and constitutions.


	Only a few nations had general stability:
		Chile after reforms of its system in 1833
		and, The Brazilian monarchy.
	For most of Latin America the basic questions of government and society remained unresolved.


	After the defeat of Napoleon any plans for ending Latin American independence were thwarted by the opposition of Britain and the United States.
	The price for British support was freedom of trade.
	The US had the Monroe Doctrine which was a declaration signed in 1823 that stated that any attempt by a European country to colonize the Americas would be considered an unfriendly act.


	Britain replaced Spain as a dominant economic force in a type of neocolonial commercial system.
	It became a major consumer of Latin American products and sold its manufactured goods to the new nations.


	The free entry and export of goods benefited port cities and landowners, but it damaged regional industries producing for internal markets.
	The resulting dependency on foreign markets reinforced the old order which made land the basis of wealth and prestige.


	The Latin American economy was stagnant between 1820 and 1850.
		The mining sector had suffered from the independence wars, transportation and port facilities remained underdeveloped, and investment capital was lacking.
		The situation changed after 1850 when European market expansion created demand for local products.


	The export of coffee, hides, beef, minerals, grains, and guano brought revenues to governments, urban growth, and transportation improvements.


	Liberal reformers during the 1820s and 1830s attempted to break colonial patterns and follow European trends.
	Latin American societies were not ready for many of the reforms as the conservative weight of the church, landowners, and army remained potent.
	As a result, conservatives returned to power by the 1840s and halted or hindered reform.
	An alliance between them and the peasantry emerged to oppose change.


	Liberals returned to power during the last quarter of the 19^th century. They based their policies on the positivism of Auguste Comte, stressing a scientific approach to social problems.
	The shift was caused by changes in the nature of the Industrial Revolution and the age of imperialism.
	Latin American economies expanded rapidly after 1850 and the population doubled.


	There were new demands for Latin American products and foreign entrepreneurs and bankers joined liberals, landowners, and merchants to tie Latin America to the capitalist expansion of the Western economy.


	The new political leaders were inspired by the example of Western Europe and the United States, but their distrust of their mass populations prevented the success of many efforts.


	Economic growth often occurred at the expense of the peasantry; landowners and governments expropriated land and developed forms of tenancy, peonage, and disguised servitude.


	The 1824 Mexican constitution was a federalist document that established a republic and guaranteed basic civil rights.

	But it did not address the serious issues of inequitable distribution of land, the status of Indians, the problems of education, or the poverty of most of the population.


		Santa Ana was the Mexican general who seized power after the collapse of the Mexican republic in 1835.
		He was a typical caudillo and the defects of his regime drew foreign intervention by Spain and France.


	War with the United States which believed that it was destined to rule from the Atlantic to the Pacific (Manifest Destiny) ended in Mexican defeat and the loss of about one-half of Mexico’s territory. (Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo - 1848)


	The war left a bitter distrust of the United States and caused a serious loss of Mexican economic potential.
	Politicians were forced to confront their nation's internal problems which had contributed to defeat.


	Indian lawyer Benito Juárez led a liberal revolt titled La Reforma in 1854 and inaugurated a new constitution in 1857.
	Military and church privileges were curtailed and church and Indian communal lands were sold to individuals.
	Speculators, however, bought the land and left peasants and Indians poorer than previously.


	Conservative reaction led to civil war and the summoning of French assistance.
		The French placed Maximilian von Habsburg on the throne, but Juárez refused to accept the foreign ruler.
	When the French withdrew in 1867 Maximilian was captured and executed.


	As a result of Maximilian’s execution, Juárez regained office to lead an autocratic regime until his death in 1872.
	By 1880 Mexico was about to enter a period of strong central government and political stability.