Latin America and the world order

Efforts to achieve a more equitable insertion into the international system since 1870

Ensayo , 2003 , 19 Páginas , Calificación: Honours

Política - Región: Centro y Sur América

More than 510 years after the conquest of Latin America, critical opinions are still voiced with regard to the quality of the subcontinent’s insertion into the international system: “When one begins to see the multiple business connections and interests, it is difficult to avoid concluding that the Plan Puebla Panama (PPP) is more about energy and resource extraction than it is about development”. Arguments along the lines of this PPP critique have been frequently mentioned when discussing topics such as declining terms of trade for raw materials, the unequal access to the world markets, exploitative practices of labour-intense industries, socially detrimental impositions of structural adjustment measures, the increasing hegemony of the United States (US) over Latin America through new free-trade arrangements or projects such as Plan Colombia, and many more.
The purpose of this paper is to look beyond plain accusations by assessing the international arena Latin America found itself in since 1870 as well as the efforts made by Latin America to achieve a more equitable insertion into it. Taking into consideration the complexity of the topic, I will only broadly outline earlier attempts while focussing on efforts taken after the Great Depression of 1929. The essay will be organised in four main sections covering the three major phases plus a conclusions section: Primary commodity exports (PCE), import substitution industrialisation (ISI), neo-liberalism (NL), and the conclusions section which will also cover Latin America’s prospects. The important aspect of regionalism will be split into “old regionalism”, which will be covered in the ISI section, and “new regionalism”, which falls into the phase of neo-liberalism.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Primary commodity exports (PCE)
• Import substitution industrialisation (ISI)
  • “Old regionalism”
• Neo-liberalism (NL)
• Conclusions
• Bibliography

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This paper aims to assess the efforts made by Latin America to achieve a more equitable insertion into the international system since 1870, focusing on the period after the Great Depression of 1929. It will analyze the three major phases of Latin American economic development: primary commodity exports (PCE), import substitution industrialisation (ISI), and neo-liberalism (NL). The paper will also explore the role of regionalism in Latin American integration.

• The challenges of Latin America's insertion into the international system
• The impact of primary commodity exports on Latin American economies
• The rise and fall of import substitution industrialisation
• The implementation of neo-liberal policies in Latin America
• The role of regionalism in Latin American integration

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The PCE phase (1870-1930) was characterized by a strong but unilateral integration into the international system. Latin American countries exported raw materials and cash crops, with foreign elites being replaced by local elites who dominated large landholdings. This model had three main weaknesses: it strengthened inequality, it was vulnerable to boom and bust cycles of commodity prices, and it failed to establish local economic linkages. The example of Bolivia, heavily dependent on tin exports, illustrates the problematic nature of this model. The lack of land reforms and the elite-based social structure prevented a more equitable distribution of gains and the creation of a middle class. The era represents an example of dependent insertion, with Latin America serving as a supplier of raw materials to industrialized countries.

The ISI era (1930-1980) was marked by a resurgence of national identity, the creation of institutions, and a new role for the state. Triggered by the Great Depression and World War II, Latin America withdrew from international markets to industrialize behind high tariff barriers. This was financed by income from agriculture and foreign borrowings. Despite initial growth, ISI faced challenges such as uncompetitive products, limited diversification, and continued dependence on imports of machinery and capital goods. The "old regionalism" emerged during this period, with Latin American countries seeking to cooperate and integrate their economies.

Schlüsselwörter

The keywords and focus themes of the text include Latin America, international system, economic development, primary commodity exports, import substitution industrialisation, neo-liberalism, regionalism, inequality, dependency, and integration.

• Universidad: Dublin City University
• Calificación: Honours
• Autor: Iris Schoenauer-Alvaro (Autor)
• Año de publicación: 2003
• Páginas: 19
• No. de catálogo: V112835
• ISBN (Ebook): 9783640124541
• ISBN (Libro): 9783640124992
• Idioma: Inglés
• Etiqueta: Latin, America