Summary:
This essay discusses how Latin America has been affected by Europeans.
After winning independence from European powers, Latin America acquired there freedom, but, in the process created new social and economic problems on top of the already existing ones, all which were due in part to European influence. The wars for independence also held altirier motives besides the obvious strive for independence. Social elites wanted to break up Spain and England's monopoly while maintaining the existing social structure. This lead to additional problems for citizens of Latin American countries.
After the wars had ended, independent Latin American countries were in store for additional social problems due to the influence of Europe. The social class' had remained the same as when it was emplaced by Europe. White superiority remained in Latin America with most high government positions held by decedents of Europeans. This left residual influence from Europeans even within the political system of newly freed Latin America nations. The other high government positions were commonly held by former military men. Europe also left behind it's racism and social barriers which took Latin America much longer to overcome than it did in Europe. Euclides da Cuhna noticed this problem running rampant in Brazil when he lead a ttended a military exabition into the heart of the country in order to put down a rebellion. Commenting on how far behind Brazil was with racial progression Cuhna said "it is not an ocean which seperates us from them (Europe) but three whole centuries"(Cuna176). He also noticed that depending on where we went the racial barriers differed. Thus it is infered that Europen influnce was less prominent and or better overcome outside the city gates. Latin America's lower class citizens saw there rights being violated time and time again in the workplace. They faced long hours in the workplace.There was no such thing as compensation for injury. There salaries were deducted by the cost of tools, housing, medical care, and relgious services.Child labor laws had not been in placed, resulting in children taking the brunt of the lack of social reforms. Laws protecting the lower class from these hardships would seem like common sense, but, it was the European decedents and former soldiers who were in charge of the reforms, and there concerns were on maintaining there prosperous lifestyle. The more workers there were, the less business owners cared about there employee's wellbeing, so, the conditions got worse as the population grew. The lack of concern for the lower class did help the economy by giving businesses more profit, but the financial state of Latin America was still terrible, and the needs of the workers were being overlooked.
A motive of the revolutions of Latin America was to break up the monopolies that Europe held over them, but, the economic outcome was not what was previously desired.
The revolutionary wars that were fought left Latin America countries with a indebted economy, and a severe shortage on raw materials. The basis of the economic failer in Latin America was because there countries were set up for a single main reason, to produce raw materials for the mother countries of Europe. When there ties were broken from Europe, all they could do was produce raw materials. They did not have the necessary tools required to processes there agricultural products, that had always been the job of the mother country. This resulted in the need for Latin America to continue there usual trade agreements with Europe until they were able to manufacture all the raw materiels independently. There in itself lied another problem. Europe had created the transportation system on the assumption that goods only needed shipping for exportation, not internal trade(2). Since the railroads did not go anywhere but ports, the necessity for trade with Europe was only streanthed, and the prospect of self sufficiency in Latin America seemed less and less likely. Although exportation was there best option at the time, Latin America needed to hire British and other European ships to transport there own goods. They continually had to fall back on there raw materials and natural recourses in order to make attempts at turning around the budget, and at self sufficiency. In there weak state European investors saw an opertunity to invest in Latin America's natural recorces. They would buy low knowing that the economy could only go up from there present state. Europe invested untill the point were they practically owned the majority of Latin America natural recorses. In Chilie, nitrate was the prodominent natural resorce. This was untill Britan bought up the majority Chilie's nitarate buisness. Only 20% reamained under the ownership of Chilie(2). This is only one of multiple examples European investment to the point of ownership . This created a seemingly endless cycle of debt, selling, and attempts at self sufficiency.
Although Latin America won its independence, it was never fully able to escape the detrimental influence by European nations. It was impossible for Latin America to break all ties with European nations with there ancestors at the head of the government and society, and a economy that was nowhere near to being self sufficient. Although European influence had some positive effects on Latin America, it hard to acredit them while Latin America was left in a state of financial ruin, and with social barriers that are yet to be broken.
This is the complete article, containing 878 words
(approx. 3 pages at 300 words per page).
