Research Paper on "Colonization of Latin America"

Research Paper 10 pages (2974 words) Sources: 10

[EXCERPT] . . . .

This is why many in Latin America live well below the poverty line with some facing off starvation on a daily basis. Such actions helped to maintain a continuous cycle of lower production in colonized areas and the flow of wealth to dominant economies.

Sartre explains in his piece on colonization in Africa how the harsh treatment of the natives by colonists led to extreme poverty in the affected colonies. "Can we at least find some compensation for this poverty systematically created by European usurpers in those benefits which are termed not directly measurable, public works and improvement schemes, sanitation, and education?" (Sartre, 2001, p. 135). Colonies that then fought to become independent nations were left with countries that were devoid of resources and with no means to generate successful trade and commerce nor achieve political stability. Similar to Latin America, parts of Africa remain today underdeveloped, creating problems for those living in those countries. Colombia for example, has learned to subsist on the illegal sale of cocaine. Although Colombian officials and police attempt to remove the illegal cultivation and trade of cocaine, many in Colombia need to sell cocaine in order to survive. These are the devastating effects of colonization in Latin America.

Brazil a Model of Colonization in Latin America

Portugal colonized Brazil. In fact, after colonization, many Russians, Chinese, and other Asian and European populations migrated to Brazil to live. This is why today Brazil has a mixed and diverse population. Diversity aside, the Brazilian population is heavily segregated not just in the racial sense, but in the class sense but also as relates to income. Those with higher income were and are white or light skinned and those that were poor were and are black and "pardos." A lot of this came from the influences the colonial powers had on Brazil.

NARITOMI, SOARES & ASSUNCAO explain in their article the results of economic "booms" in Brazil where Portugal benefitted from and Brazil was left with economic difficulties. "The sugar cane boom -- characterized by an oligarchic society -- is associated with more land inequality. The gold boom -- characterized by a heavily inefficient presence of the Portuguese state -- is associated with worse governance and access to justice" (NARITOMI, SOARES & ASSUNCAO, 2012, p. 393). Each time Portugal used Brazil for its benefit and then left them with having to maintain their economy as is. Another writer talks about the exploitation of Brazilians for economic gain.

Dirks explains in his book, how slavery became a part of the early economy of Brazil through the colonists fear of cannibalism. Essentially colonists justified enslaving and exploiting natives because they feared these people were savages.

Cannibalism acquired great ideological potency for the colonists from the beginning of the European conquest of the New World. The figure of the cannibal was elaborated and used for many sorts of ends, responding as it did to some of the most powerful symbolic forces known to humankind (Dirks, 1992, p. 158).

Therefore, when colonists used up most of the resources of their colonies, they saw no reason to stay and assist the natives in stabilizing their economies and government.

In this historic setup, colonized areas were lately integrated in the world-market because of the disbanding of the direct control of urban capital over the colonies and had to be billeted in accordance to the needs of the previous. This means large majorities of those from the working class like blacks in Brazil are unable to consume products made in a society marked by inequality. Along with economic upheaval and inequality from colonization came strict laws and other forms of social control. This lead to decreased independence of formerly colonized countries. Countries like Brazil were viewed as a place where people were subjugated and controlled and their well-being was ignored.

Narayan discusses the views of those that colonized concerning those they colonized.

The world-view of colonialism, as well as the moral and socio-political world-views of many colonized cultures, subscribed to a picture where several large groups of colonized cultures, subscribed to a picture where several large groups of people were normatively defined in terms of their relationships as inferiors and subordinates vis-a-vis members of dominant groups (Narayan, 1995, p. 136).

Essentially colonized people were seen as less than. Even white women were pro-empire as they themselves fought for women's rights. Everything revolved around uplifting European societies at the cost of the native populations of places like Latin America and Africa.

The Changing Social Landscape of Latin America Post Colonialism

Former colonies have witnessed the change brought on by colonization as Brubaker mentions. "Colonial and postcolonial societies have been particularly rich sites for such studies" (Brubaker, 2009) Latin America is a prime example. Many Europeans immigrated and stayed in Latin America, effectively changing the ethnicities, languages, and cultures of Latin America. Argentina for example, boasts a large white population. Many countries in South and Central America speak Spanish. Brazil has a myriad of ethnicities and mixed races. Paraguay hosts recent European immigration. All of which comes from the effects of European colonization.

Some of these changes affected the political landscape of these countries as well as a wave of neoliberalism took hold. (Yates & Bakker, 2013, p. 62). In places like Venezuela proposals have to generate an alternative economic system to remove dependence on old systems of agriculture and reduce poverty in the country. Because colonization crippled so many of the countries affected, some countries decided to take a step towards restructuring to provide solutions and stability. Those that propose neoliberalism advocate implementation and expansion of relatively new types of policies, specifically so-called conditional cash-transfer programs that provide payments to impoverished people that meet certain desiderata, like enrolling their children in school or getting vaccinations.

Homi Bhabha's "Of Mimicry and Man," the author explains the desire for colonizers to establish familiarity in colonies. "Bhabha argues that colonial mimicry is "the desire for a reformed, recognizable Other, as a subject of a difference that is almost the same, but not quite" (Conversations on Postcolonial Theory, 2014).Put simply, he asserts the colonizer wants to develop the other by making him like himself, but in a manner that still preserves a clear sense of difference. The colonizers of Latin America injected European religion and tradition into Latin American countries. They also injected their own people into the population.

These people were still considered less than by colonizers, but eventually this influence turned into a permanent change in the colonized people's culture. Neo-liberalism for example, is one of them as they turned what they learned from the colonizers into something positive that can hopefully help stabilize their economies and people.

Conclusions

Colonialism has been part of the historical formation and process of countries in Latin America. The modern economies of such countries are markedly debilitated for the following main reasons:

a) The agro-export leaning economies gave the universal outlines to the colonized production, averting attempts at industrialization and import replacement.

b) The agricultural structure barred a majority from access to the land and advantaged a non-intensive assembly.

c) Concentration of poverty, income, and inequality obstructed the formation of internal consumption.

d) The inner dynamics of the ruling classes thwarted facilitation of savings, (re)investments as well as innovation in national economies.

Lastly, the geography gave motivation for easy exploitation of Latin America's natural resources (a necessary contribution to production), determining the patterns of livelihood and de-population of the colony. The future repercussions of European immigration led to racism and further inequality in the former colonies with rich whites living in cities and poor blacks living in the rural and developed areas. Although in some ways, Europeans helped to develop Latin America, it was done so out of need and desire for resources regardless of the turbulent outcomes after colonies gained their independence.

References

Barker, C. (2012). Cultural studies. London: SAGE.

Brubaker, R. (2009). Ethnicity, Race, and Nationalism. Annual Review Of Sociology, 35(1), 21-42. doi:10.1146/annurev-soc-070308-115916

Bruhn, M., & Gallego, F. (2012). Good, Bad, and Ugly Colonial Activities: Do They Matter for Economic Development?. Review Of Economics And Statistics, 94(2), 433-461. doi:10.1162/rest_a_00218

Conversations on Postcolonial Theory,. (2014). Homi Bhabha's "Of Mimicry and Man." Retrieved 20 June 2015, from https://discourseonpostcolonialtheory.wordpress.com/2014/03/18/homi-bhabhas-of-mimicry-and-man/

Dirks, N. (1992). Colonialism and culture. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.

Janoschka, M., Sequera, J., & Salinas, L. (2013). Gentrification in Spain and Latin America - a Critical Dialogue. International Journal Of Urban And Regional Research, 38(4), 1234-1265. doi:10.1111/1468-2427.12030

Narayan, U. (1995). Colonialism and Its Others: Considerations On Rights and Care Discourses. Hypatia, 10(2), 133-140. doi:10.1111/j.1527-2001.1995.tb01375.x

NARITOMI, J., SOARES, R., & ASSUNCAO, J. (2012). Institutional Development and Colonial Heritage within Brazil. J. Econ. Hist., 72(02), 393-422. doi:10.1017/s0022050712000071

Sartre, J. (2001). COLONIALISM IS A SYSTEM. Interventions, 3(1), 127-140. doi:10.1080/13698010020027074

Yates, J., &… READ MORE

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