US Intervention in Latin America

1
US Intervention in Latin America

• US intervention in 20th century Latin America
  typically explained by containment doctrine of
  Cold War
• (Reactive, defensive posture against Soviet
  expansion)
• This limits our understanding because makes
  period appear unique obscures continuities

2
The Soviet threat?

• Everyone agrees it was vastly overstated
• Were people deluded, or was this propaganda?
• Divergence between internal record and publicly
  stated policy (Soviet containment)
• internal record suggests concerns triggered by
  domestic policy in countries
• Twofold preoccupation
• 1)US economic interests threatened by domestic
  policies, and
• 2) US hegemony threatened if socialist policies
  succeeded

3
Motivations for intervention

• Guatemala United Fruit
• Chile Nixon US main concern "is the prospect
  that he Allende can consolidate himself and the
  picture projected to the world will be his
  success...If we let the potential leaders in
  South America think they can move like Chile and
  have it both ways, we will be in trouble
• Divergence between publicly stated aims and
  internal discussions suggests that the 'Soviet
  expansionism' rationale was a propaganda device
  used to rally a fearful public behind US policy

4
William Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy

• US fundamental interest in Latin America is and
  has always been protecting its position of power,
  privilege
• Policies have shifted, but not purpose of
  policies
• During Cold War, Communist threat was not the
  driving force behind US foreign policy
• Motive for US interventions protect budding
  system of international capitalism under US
  domination

5
William Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy

• In early post WW2 years, democracy itself not of
  much interest to USAgt US propped up
  dictatorships as way of ensuring stability for
  capital
• 1970sgt crisis in many dictatorships system no
  longer stable
• 1980sgtUS turned to democracy promotion as
  cornerstone of foreign policy
• Policies justified in different language, but
  purposes unchanged

6
William Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy

• Gramscian argument democracy promotion is a
  hegemonic project of global capitalist elite
• when dominant class achieves hegemony,
  subordinate classes consent to own domination
  because buy into value system, ideology
• Therefore, ideas matter they either support the
  system or challenge it
• The site of struggle for change is terrain of
  ideas

7
William Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy

• Robinson distinguishes between polyarchy and
  popular democracy
• Polyarchypolitical system of representative
  govt, separate from social or economic spheres
• Hallmarks free and fair elections
• Citizen participation limited to choosing between
  competing elites for office
• Equality of procedures, not outcomes
• In claiming to set up a neutral system of govt
  in which any party or sector can take power, yet
  in a world where certain actors have vastly more
  power than otehrs, polyarchy locks in a system
  of inequalities while securing consent

8
William Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy

• Popular democracy democracy as a tool for
  social justice
• Political power dispersed
• Wealth distributed
• Majorities participate in governance
• Judge democratization by outcomes, not process
  are most people better off?

9
William Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy

• Robinson says US democracy promotion is all
  about promoting polyarchy, not promoting real
  or popular democracy
• Furthermore, in doing so, it actually prevents
  popular democracy from ever happening
• How does US promote polyarchy?
• 3 way marriage between elites in target country,
  state (military) in target country, and
  transnational capitalist elites
• Globalization is the process of forging these
  alliances across the globe

10
William Robinson, Promoting Polyarchy

• Democracy promotion aims to secure elite-based
  polyarchic systems by penetrating civil society
  and from therein assuring control over popular
  mobilization and mass movements (rather than
  controlling state and suppressing such movements
  through violence)

11
What are the implications of this for human
rights?

• In terms of civil and political rights, this
  system is less violent repressive (better), but
  may stand in the way of states addressing social
  and economic rights
• Questions the benevolence of economic development
  programs

12
(No Transcript)
13
Los Guaraguao, Perdóneme Tío Juan/ Forgive me
Uncle Juan

• Perdóneme Tío Juan
• pero se ve que no sabe nada
• las cosas que yo le digo
• se sienten en carne propia
• que en tierra venezolana
• el imperialismo yanqui
• hace lo que le da la gana
• es que usted no se ha paseado
• por un campo petrolero?
• usted no ve que se llevan
• lo que es de nuestra tierra?
• y solo nos van dejando
• miseria y sudor de obrero
• y solo nos van dejando
• miseria y sudor de obrero

• Forgive me Uncle Juan
• But its clear you dont know anything
• The things that Im telling you about
• Can be felt in our own experience
• In Venezuela, Yankee imperialism
• Does whatever it pleases
• Havent you passed by
• The petroleum fields?
• Havent you seen how they take
• What is ours?
• They only leave behind
• Misery and workers sweat
• They only leave behind
• Misery and workers sweat

14

• Los niñitos macilentos
• que habitan allá en los cerros
• mas que vivir agonizan
• entreteniendo sus sueños
• mas que vivir agonizan
• entreteniendo sus sueños.
• Contésteme Tío Juan
• no se me quede callado.
• Conteste si no hay razón
• en que sigamos luchando
• por echar de nuestra Patria al yanqui que nos la
  quita
• y al lacayo que lo tapa
• es que usted no se ha fijado
• lo que pasa con el hierro?
• nos pagan la tonelada
• por menos de tres centavos
• vamos a luchar, caramba!
• o nos quedamos sin cerro
• vamos a luchar, caramba!

• The malnourished children
• That live there in the hills
• More than living, theyre agonizing
• As they entertain their dreams
• More than living, theyre agonizing
• As they entertain their dreams
• Answer me Uncle Juan
• Dont just stay silent
• Answer me, isnt there a reason
• For us to keep struggling
• To throw out of our country
• the yankee that takes it from us
• And the lackey that covers it up
• Havent you noticed
• What happens with the iron?
• They pay less than three cents
• For the ton
• Lets fight, damn it!
• Or well be left without our land

15

• No te dejes engañar
• cuando te hablen de progreso
• por que tú te quedas flaco
• y ellos aumentan de peso
• por que tú te quedas flaco
• y ellos aumentan de peso.
• Contésteme Tío Juan
• no se me quede callado
• conteste si no hay razón
• en que sigamos luchando
• por echar de nuestra Patria
• al yanqui que nos la quita
• y al lacayo que lo tapa

• Dont be fooled
• When they talk about progress
• Because youll stay skinny
• While they gain weight
• Because youll stay skinny
• While they gain weight.
• Answer me, Uncle Juan,
• Dont just stay silent
• Answer me, isnt there a reason
• For us to keep struggling
• To throw out of our country
• the yankee that takes it from us
• And the lackey that covers it up

16

• Havent you passed by
• The petroleum fields?
• Havent you seen how they take
• What is ours?
• They only leave behind
• Misery and workers sweat
• They only leave behind Misery and workers sweat.
• The malnourished children
• That live there in the hills
• More than living, theyre agonizing
• As they entertain their dreams
• More than living, theyre agonizing
• As they entertain their dreams.

• Es que usted no se ha paseado
• por un campo petrolero?
• Usted no ve que se llevan
• lo que es de nuestra tierra?
• y solo nos van dejando
• miseria y sudor de obrero
• y solo nos van dejando
• miseria y sudor de obrero.
• Los niñitos macilentos
• que habitan allá en los cerros
• mas que vivir agonizan
• entreteniendo sus sueños
• mas que vivir agonizan
• entreteniendo sus sueños