Democracy

1
Democracy

• 19.1
• Case Study Latin American Democracies
• CST 10.10.1,2,3

2
Making Democracy Work

• Four Common Practices
• Free Elections
• Citizen Participation
• Majority rule, minority rights
• Constitutional government

3
Making Democracy Work (refer to the chart on pg.
599)

• Conditions that contribute to building a
  democracy
• 1. More than 1 political party
• 2. A stable economy, high levels of literacy and
  education.
• 3. A belief in individual rights guaranteed
  freedoms of speech, assembly, and press
• 4. Rule of law

4
Steering Brazil Toward Democracy

• Brazilian leaders took the following actions to
  stabilize the economy
• Developed industry
• Encouraged foreign investment
• Redistributed the land

• Although Brazil still has economic problems,
  their government continues on the path of
  democracy because they hold free elections.

5
Current President of BrazilLuis Inacio Lula da
Silva
6
Ending One Party Rule of the PRI in Mexico

• 2 crises threatened democracy in Mexico.
• 1.1968 Massacre of protesters in the Aztec
  ruins
• 2. Early 1980s The economic decline following
  the drop in oil and natural gas prices. The drop
  cut Mexican revenues in half.

7
Ending One Party Rule of the PRI in Mexico

• The 1997 elections denied the PRI control of
  Mexicos congress and paved the way for
  multiparty rule when Vincente Fox was elected El
  Presidente

8
Mexicos Democracy Moves Forward

• Presidente Fox advocated the following reforms
• Reforming the police
• Rooting out political corruption
• Ending the rebellion in Chiapas
• Opening Mexico to free market forces
• Lobbying for the interests of Mexicos 22 million
  citizens who live abroad

9
Vincente Fox, 2000-2006
10
Current President of MexicoFelipe Calderon
11
Ending Repression in Argentina

• After Juan and Eva Perons rule (a dictatorship),
  the military took control in 1976.
• Under military rule
• The economy was ruined
• Increased acts of oppression and terrorism
• Brutal suppression of basic rights and freedoms.
  Several thousand Argentines had simply
  disappeared, kidnapped by their own govt.

12
Ending Repression in Argentina

• In 1983, Argentines had the first free elections
  in 37 years.
• In 2002, Argentina had an unemployment rate of
  about 24 and they defaulted on 132 billion of
  debt (the largest default in history)
• Although they continue to struggle to regain
  political economic footing, they held free
  elections in 2003 and 2007.

13
Current President of Argentina

• As of December 10, 2007, Christina Fernandez de
  Kirchner was sworn in as the first female
  president of Argentina.