Understanding Latin American Politics

Transcription

1 Understanding Latin American Politics Gregory Weeks University of North Carolina at Charlotte Boston Columbus Indianapolis New York San Francisco Upper Saddle River Amsterdam Cape Town Dubai London Madrid Milan Munich Paris Montréal Toronto Delhi Mexico City São Paulo Sydney Hong Kong Seoul Singapore Taipei Tokyo

2 Editor in Chief: Ashley Dodge Senior Acquisitions Editor: Melissa Mashburn Editorial Assistant: Courtney Turcotte Marketing Coordinator: Jessica Warren Managing Editor: Denise Forlow Program Manager: Kathy Sleys Project Manager: PreMedia Global/Doug Bell Senior Operations Supervisor: Mary Fischer Operations Specialist: Mary Ann Gloriande Art Director: Maria Lange Cover Designer: PreMedia Global Cover Image: Tifonimages/Fotolia; Galyna Andrushko/Fotolia Digital Media Project Manager: Tina Gagliostro Full-Service Project Management and Composition: PreMedia Global/Murugesh Namasivayam Printer/Binder: Courier/Westford Cover Printer: Courier/Westford Credits and acknowledgments borrowed from other sources and reproduced, with permission, in this textbook appear on appropriate page within text. Copyright 2015 by Pearson Education, Inc. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. This publication is protected by Copyright and permission should be obtained from the publisher prior to any prohibited reproduction, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or likewise. To obtain permission(s) to use material from this work, please submit a written request to Pearson Education, Inc., Permissions Department, One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey or you may fax your request to Many of the designations by manufacturers and seller to distinguish their products are claimed as trademarks. Where those designations appear in this book, and the publisher was aware of a trademark claim, the designations have been printed in initial caps or all caps. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Weeks, Gregory Bart. Understanding Latin American politics / Gregory Weeks. pages cm Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN (alk. paper) ISBN (alk. paper) 1. Latin America Politics and government. I. Title. JL960.W dc ISBN 10: ISBN 13:

3 Brief Contents PART I Theoretical and Historical Background 1 Theoretical Perspectives on Latin American Politics 1 2 State Formation and Economic Development in the Nineteenth Century 13 3 Dictatorship, Democracy, and Revolution in the Modern Era 35 4 The Politics of Capitalism and Socialism Through the Twentieth Century 55 PART II Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean 5 Mexico 79 6 Central America Cuba 139 PART III The Andean Region 8 Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru Colombia Venezuela 225 PART IV Brazil and the Southern Cone 11 Brazil Argentina Chile 311 iii

4 Contents Preface xi Part I Theoretical and Historical Background 1 Theoretical Perspectives on Latin American Politics 1 The Complexities of Latin American Politics 2 Making Comparisons in the Context of Complexity 3 International Level 4 National Level 4 Local Level 4 How the Levels Intersect 5 How Levels of Analysis Inform Theory 5 Modernization Theory 5 What Modernization Theory Can t Explain 6 Dependency Theory 6 What Dependency Theory Can t Explain 9 Defining Democracy and Development 9 Democracy 9 Development 10 Conclusion 11 Key Terms 11 Discussion Questions 11 Further Sources 12 Endnotes 12 2 State Formation and Economic Development in the Nineteenth Century 13 iv The Challenges of Independence 13 The International Level: Peninsular Wars and Latin American Declarations of Independence 14 Race and Nation in Latin America 14 National Response to International Factors in Spanish America 15 The National Level: Nations and States 16 The Challenge of Nation Building 16 The Challenge of State Building 17 Local Challenges of State Building 18 The Role of the Military in State Building 19 The Problem of Weak States 20

5 Contents v Constitutions and the National Seeds of Democracy and Authoritarianism 21 Constructing Accountable Political Institutions 22 The Liberal Conservative Divide 23 International Influences and the Challenge of National Economic Development 26 Becoming Dependent Internationally 28 Dependency and Lack of Development 28 Social Structure and Local Politics 30 Subaltern Groups: National and Local Levels 31 Conclusion 31 Key Terms 32 Discussion Questions 32 Further Sources 32 Endnotes 33 3 Dictatorship, Democracy, and Revolution in the Modern Era 35 National and International Influence in the First Half of the Twentieth Century 37 Early Weakness of Democracy: National Challenges 37 National Threats to Democracy 38 International Influence: The United States and Democracy 39 The National Effects of Economic Policy 41 The Cold War ( ) 43 The Military and International Influence 43 National Factors in Democratic Breakdown 46 Contemporary Democracy in the Post Cold War Era (1991 to present) 49 The National Impact of Populism 50 Newfound Strength of Democracy 50 Conclusion 51 Key Terms 52 Discussion Questions 52 Further Sources 52 Endnotes 53 4 The Politics of Capitalism and Socialism Through the Twentieth Century 55 International Influences: Capitalism and Socialism 56 The Foundations of Capitalism 56 The Foundations of Socialism and Communism 57 The Dynamics of Dependence 59 Economic Alternatives: International and National Influences 61 The Impact of Nationalization 62 Economic Reform Within Latin America 64 Why Do Democracies Break Down? Economic Factors at the National Level 66

6 vi Contents International Factors in the Late Twentieth Century 68 The Debt Crisis 68 Chile as an Alternative Model 69 Another Alternative: Mixed Economies 71 The Local Level: Formal and Informal Economies 72 Dollarization: The Ultimate International Influence 73 An International Constant: The Exchange Rate 74 Conclusion 76 Key Terms 76 Discussion Questions 77 Further Sources 77 Endnotes 78 Part II Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean 5 Mexico 79 Historical Roots of Political and Economic Development 81 Postindependence Challenges 81 Roots of the Mexican Revolution 82 The Legacies of the Revolution 82 Contemporary Politics in Mexico 83 The Influence of Clientelism and Corporatism 84 Mexican Presidentialism 85 National Economic Restructuring 85 Drawbacks to the Economic Model 86 Theory and Politics of Mexican Development: Local, National, and International Influences 87 Political Impact of Economic Reforms 87 The Importance of NAFTA 88 Changes in the Mexican Economic and Political Models 90 The Zapatistas: Local Response to National and International Influences 91 Political Resistance at Other Levels 93 The Process of Democratization in Mexico 94 Democratization with Decentralization 97 Migration: The Confluence of International, National, and Local 98 Drugs: The Local and National Effects of International Trade 99 Conclusion and Comparative Perspective 102 Key Terms 103 Discussion Questions 103 Further Sources 103 Endnotes 104

7 Contents vii 6 Central America 105 Historical Roots of Political and Economic Development 107 Costa Rica 108 El Salvador 110 Nicaragua 114 Guatemala 117 Honduras 121 Panama 125 Regional Issues 127 Migration and Economics 128 The Judiciary in Central America 128 Women and Politics in Central America 129 Conclusion and Comparative Perspective 134 Key Terms 135 Discussion Questions 136 Further Sources 136 Endnotes Cuba 139 Historical Roots of Political and Economic Development 141 Dominance of the United States 141 Fulgencio Batista s Dominance of Cuban Politics 142 The Rise of a National Revolutionary Movement 143 The Revolution: Remaking the Nation 146 International Factors: The Role of the Soviet Union 147 International Factors: The United States Embargo 148 Contemporary Cuban Politics 150 The Post-Cold War: Local and National Economic Collapse 152 Political Support: The Role of Women and Afro-Cubans 154 Cuba s International Influence 155 Cuba s Economic Transformation 157 The Evolution of Political Control 158 Economic Policy Under Raúl Castro 160 International Influence: The United States After the Cold War 161 Conclusion and Comparative Perspective 163 Key Terms 164 Discussion Questions 164 Further Sources 164 Endnotes 165

8 viii Contents Part III The Andean Region 8 Bolivia, Ecuador, and Peru 167 Historical Roots of Political and Economic Development 169 Bolivia 170 Imperfect National Political and Economic Reform 171 Economic Source of Local Discontent 172 Conflict Between Different Levels Under Evo Morales 175 Ecuador 177 The Political Consequences of National Economic Collapse 178 The Era of Rafael Correa 180 Economic Growth and International Factors 182 Peru 183 The Challenges of Democratic Transition 184 The Era of Alberto Fujimori 185 National Recovery From the Fujimori Era 189 Conclusion and Comparative Perspective 190 Key Terms 194 Discussion Questions 194 Further Sources 194 Endnotes Colombia 197 Historical Roots of Political and Economic Development 199 Local and National Legacies of Violence 199 Violence With Economic Development 200 Contemporary Politics in Colombia 201 International Influence: The Drug Trade 202 Political Violence and Economic Development 205 National and International Implications of Political Violence 207 The International Politics of Economic Reform 208 Political Development: The Local Level 210 International Influences: The Drug Trade 210 National Meet Local: Indigenous, Racial, and Gender Issues 216 Conclusion and Comparative Perspective 219 Key Terms 221 Discussion Questions 221 Further Sources 221 Endnotes Venezuela 225 Historical Roots of Political and Economic Development 227 The Politics of International Influence: Venezuela and Oil 229 The National Politics of Oil 229

9 Contents ix Contemporary Politics in Venezuela 230 Cracks in the National Political System 231 The Caracazo and the Political Aftermath 232 The Failure of Presidentialism 233 The Fifth Republic 234 Women and Indigenous Groups: The Struggle for Activism at the Local and National Levels 242 Decentralization and the Dynamics of Local and National Political Power 243 Political Institutions and Horizontal Accountability 244 The Bolivarian Revolution: International Influences 245 Conclusion and Comparative Perspective 248 Key Terms 250 Discussion Questions 250 Further Sources 250 Endnotes 251 Part IV Brazil and the Southern Cone 11 Brazil 253 Historical Roots of Political and Economic Development 254 The End of Empire 256 The National and Local Implications of Political Institutions 256 Contemporary Politics in Brazil 257 National Factors in the Breakdown of Brazilian Democracy 257 Creating a New National Economic Policy 259 Brazil s Political Transition 260 The International Influence on Economic Transition 261 National Transformations of the Underrepresented 262 Presidentialism and National Fragmentation 267 Democracy in Brazil: The Local Level 269 National Insecurity and the Judiciary 272 Brazil at the International Level 275 Conclusion and Comparative Perspective 276 Key Terms 277 Critical Thinking Questions 278 Further Sources 278 Endnotes Argentina 281 Historical Roots of Political and Economic Development 282 The Importance of Federalism 284 The Perils of National Political Competition 285 Contemporary Politics in Argentina 286 The Role of Peronism in Argentine Politics 287 Argentina s Dirty War 290

10 x Contents The Postauthoritarian Era 293 The Dilemma of Balancing Political and Economic Demands 294 Market Reforms Under Carlos Menem 294 The Return of Economic Crisis 297 The Era of the Kirchners 298 Accountability and the Kirchners 303 Contemporary Argentina and International Influence 305 Conclusion and Comparative Perspective 305 Key Terms 307 Critical Thinking Questions 307 Further Sources 307 Endnotes Chile 311 Historical Roots of Political and Economic Development 313 National Divisions in Chile 313 Military Rule in Chile 314 Contemporary Politics in Chile 316 Theory and Politics of Chilean Development and Democratic Breakdown: Local, National, and International Influences 317 Years of Dictatorship: Transformation of National Political Institutions 320 A New Economic Direction 321 Protest Against the Military Government: Local and National Factors 323 The Return of Democracy: 1990 and Beyond 325 Legacies of Dictatorship: Human Rights 327 The Politics of National Consensus 330 Conclusion and Comparative Perspective 332 Key Terms 334 Critical Thinking Questions 334 Further Sources 334 Endnotes 335 Glossary 337 Bibliography 340 Index 349

11 Preface Imagine a president disappears from public view, leaves his country for extended periods to get cancer treatments, and even misses his inauguration. There is clamoring by the opposition to prove he s alive, expressions of concern by other countries, and shows of support on the streets. The interim president says he s still receiving orders from the sitting president, but the evidence for this is disputed. The president then returns to his home country and not long after is pronounced dead. This example describes what happened in Venezuela with its president, Hugo Chávez, in late 2012 and early How should we unravel Chávez s secretive behavior and why different political actors responded as they did? As its title suggests, the ultimate goal of this book is to lay the foundation for a better understanding of Latin American politics. The main audience is undergraduate students, who can use some guidance to navigate what they read and hear from friends, family, and the media. There is almost too much to consider at once: Why was Hugo Chávez such a polarizing figure? What developments led Venezuelan politics to this moment? Why did presidents and heads of state of other nations react in different ways to the crisis? Answers to these questions often defy easy explanation. If we want to understand why certain political events are occurring in Latin America, we need to get a bird s-eye view and then zoom in to get a look at people on the ground. By doing that in a comparative way, we can uncover not only why events are happening, but also whether they are likely to occur in other countries as well. In this book, these different perspectives all come together to form a more complete picture. The Venezuelan case, with all its surprises and uncertainties, can start making more sense. The essence of this book is to highlight three different levels of analysis: international, national, and local. Decisions are not made in a bubble, political forces are often not isolated, and interaction with other countries creates multiple layers of complexity. The chapters ask students to ponder how each level of analysis is integral to political and economic outcomes. Text Features This book begins with an introductory chapter that lays out major theoretical frameworks and initiates the conceptual discussion. Chapters 2 through 4 provide the historical grounding necessary to grasp the major political and economic themes that developed in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries in Latin America. From there we move to country case studies, sixteen countries in nine chapters: Central American and three Andean countries are grouped together. All of the country case study chapters include clear comparative discussions to show how we can make generalizations that further our understanding of political and economic events. xi

12 xii Preface The chapters provide a host of analytical tools that go beyond just a narrative: Timelines of key events Key economic indicators (gross domestic product growth, inflation, unemployment, poverty rate, and the human development index) Boxes discussing key country characteristics Boxes discussing important political institutions in each country Annotated lists of additional readings and Web sites Annotated primary documents A glossary of key terms Suggested topics for student term paper research From long experience, I know it is no easy task to present the right combination of country studies and analytical tools in a single class, but I believe students will come away from using this book with a better understanding of Latin American politics. This book is available in a variety of formats digital and print. To learn more about Pearson programs, pricing, and customization options, visit www. pearsonhighered.com. Acknowledgments This book originated with a lengthy phone conversation I had with then Longman Acquisitions Editor Vik Mukhija back in 2007, just after I had completed another book on U.S.-Latin American relations. I talked about how none of the existing texts really fit the structure and content of my Latin American politics class. Vik is an energetic and enthusiastic editor and encouraged me to consider tackling another book. Almost seven years later, here we finally are. At Pearson thanks must also go to Beverly Fong and Melissa Mashburn, who ushered me through various stages of the process and brainstormed with me. At the tail end, I appreciate the help of Doug Bell, who led me through the tortured but necessary process of obtaining all necessary permissions. Mulling over Latin American politics was in part a public exercise. As ideas or topics occurred to me, I blogged about them at Two Weeks Notice: A Latin American Politics Blog ( where I have been writing since early Thanks to all the readers, anonymous or otherwise, who commented positively or otherwise on my meandering posts. Further, I am very grateful to the many undergraduates in my Latin American Politics course at UNC Charlotte who read draft versions and directly or indirectly made me think of ways to improve the manuscript. I was also pleased at the high quality of the external reviews I received, and I expect some of you will recognize the impact of your own suggestions on the final book. I would like to thank the following reviewers: Stephen Morris, Middle Tennessee State University; Gratzia Villaroel, St. Norbert College; Richard Levy, Salem State University; Candice Ortbals, Pepperdine University; Adrian Hull, SUNY Cortland; Velma Garcia, Smith College; David Scott Palmer, Boston University;

13 Preface xiii Jose M. Vadi, Cal State Polytechnic University at Pomona; Lourdes Gil, Baruch College CUNY; James G. Stamsad, San Diego State University; Ted Henken, Baruch College; Amy Below, Oregon State University. Through it all, I appreciate all the love and support from my wife Amy and my children Benjamin, Julia, and Elizabeth. When I felt like tossing the computer out the window, I just went and hung out with them.

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