LATIN Am ERICAn POLITICS Interest GROUPS Emergence and

LATIN Am. ERICAn POLITICS : Interest GROUPS Emergence and Expansion

Political Development and the Appearance of Interest Groups Structural differentiation Cultural secularization Sub-system autonomy

Requisites for Becoming a “PLAYER” • Demonstrate that you have power • Will respect the rights of already existent players • Leads to a “living museum” approach since traditional groups not destroyed • Unwillingness to be co-opted leads to being repressed

Repression of Would-be “PLAYERS” • Repression usually successful – for a time • Repressed groups often resurface in a revolutionary mode – Peasants in Cuba – Industrial workers in Peron’s Argentina – Urban poor in Chavez’s Venezuela

Ruling Triumvirate: Nineteenth Century (MILITARY) • Tradition of caudillismo • General themes – Assorted armies become active in politics – National militaries often play a “moderating” role • Struggle for professionalism • “New” professionalism

Ruling Triumvirate: Colonial Period (ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH) • Feudal. Catholicism • Amerindians Conversion to Protectionism – Protection of the Amerindians – Mixing of Catholic and Native traditions • Silence on Africans and slavery • Anti-clerical revolutions of post-independence period

Ruling Triumvirate: Nineteenth Century (ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH II) • Nation state monopolizes record keeping and social services • Late in the century: Priests return as teachers of the ruling national elite • Following Independence: Convents and Monasteries abandoned or destroyed

Ruling Triumvirate: Nineteenth Century (Large Land Owners) • Control over large land owners during the colonial period – Crown – Church largest landowner • Land Owning elite and the immediate post independence period – Raiding of communal properties held by Amerindians – Nationalization of ecclesiastical properties

(Landed Estates: Argentina)

Ruling Triumvirate: Late Nineteenth Century (Large Land Owners) Investment from the North Atlantic funds the emergence of commercial plantation agriculture – Wheat and cattle in Argentina – Coffee in Brazil – Mining in Mexico – Bananas in Central America • Consolidation of commercial agriculture locks in place an exploited peasant class

Expansion of the Triumvirate: Entrepreneurs • • Initially merchants to market agricultural produce Merchants usually related by blood to rural elite Industrialists first appear in the Southern Cone Industry also emerges in Sao Paulo (Brazil) – Strong immigrant presence – Conflict marks the relationship between merchants industrialists

Expansion of the Triumvirate: Middle Sectors & Professionals • Initially confined to capital cities • Provided services for the elite • Professional middle sectors tied to modernization and industrialization – Scottish engineers – Immigrants in Brazil and the Southern cone • Minimal political influence

Expansion of the Triumvirate: Peasants • Elite apprehension leads to violence and annihilation of autonomous peasants: Brazil (Os Sertoes) • Struggle between elites opens the way for first great peasant revolt: Mexico • Political Parties (led by middle class) organize the peasants – Peru – APRA – Guatemala – Juan Jose Arevalo – Venezuela – Democratic Action

Expansion of the Triumvirate: Industrial Workers • Initially small in numbers and lacking in influence • Numbers swell with the growth of the cities • Juan Peron & Evita: first use of urban poor in national power equation • Peru: Manuel Odrilla & authoritarian populism

Expansion of the Triumvirate: Urban Poor • City-ward Migration • Appearance of the urban poor in national politics – Venezuela: Hugo Chavez and the Bolivarian Revolution – Mexico: Lopez Obredor • Shantytowns of Caracas

Mobilization of Women • Eva Peron organizes women as a political group (1940’s) • Right to vote widespread following World War II

Capability of Liberal Democratic Political Regimes in Latin American to process demands from the newly diverse constellation of interest groups may be inadequate