The Horrors of Colonialism Still Haunts Latin America Until Today

The horrors of colonialism still haunts Latin America until today, especially towards its marginalized group. Namely, how the issue of economy and identity intersects in Latin American society

Colonialism, imperialism, and capitalism are destructive practices that have afflicted the Latin American political economy. It is essential to always keep in mind the influence of these concepts to understand the political economy in Latin America. Ever since colonialism, the political economy discourse in Latin America has generally focused on the impoverishment of the working class to fulfill the greed of foreign and domestic elite’s interests (Vanden & Prevost, 2015). The end of colonization by European colonizers did not transform this repression structure, the players are different, but the system remains the same. We can identify this structure in the dependency theory. It is worth noting that the discourse above is economic “events” and political — because economic and political power reinforces each other.

Since colonialism, the land, people, and abundance of Latin America resources were utilized to cater to the European elites’ needs — instead of the native population (Vanden & Prevost, 2015). The impact was that the West became the compass of the international economic structure of Latin America. Consequently, Latin American production was based on Western demands, and the region became a destination for the sales of Western products (Vanden & Prevost, 2015). Such practices were the aftermath of the method of capitalist market expansion. In the production sector, the pattern was that each Latin American countries specialized their production for a specific commodity — as according to the concept of Ricardo’s comparative advantage (Vanden & Prevost, 2015). Subsequently, finished products’ manufacturing was discouraged domestically and was instead (mainly) imported (Vanden & Prevost, 2015). As a result, Latin American countries’ economy heavily relied on the performance of a specific commodity in the market. We can see the examples of specialization such as coffee in Colombia, oil in Venezuela, and sugar in Haiti (Vanden & Prevost, 2015). Making Latin American countries’ national economy vulnerable to shocks and crises.

In the contemporary world, Latin America becomes a subject to U.S. capitalist neoliberal hegemonic structure. Hence, Latin American countries start to lose their grip on political independence. We can see an example of this through various U.S. backed coups in the region based on economic issues. For example, the U.S. backed coup in Guatemala responded to the government’s confiscation of United Fruits Corporation (an enormous U.S. backed MNC in Bananas production and export in Latin America) land in the country (Vanden & Prevost, 2015). This coup shows the dynamic of Latin American countries with western powers. From this, we can assume that when a Latin American country’s government policy does not fulfill the metropolitan powers’ economic desires, they will be dissolved. We can see the same case happening in Bolivia with the U.S. backed coup to oust Evo Morales (Greenwald, 2020).

Aside from the economic perspective, colonialism has truly impacted Latin American nation-building process. Larson provided an interesting argument on state formation and independence in Latin America. In her book, Trials of Nation Making, she focused her analysis on the Andean region. Her approach was a de-colonialist approach to the discussion of state formation in Latin America. She argued that the independence that these countries in the Andean region experience are an elusive one. Yes, indeed, they got rid of the European colonizers and were able to form their government, but the profoundly repressive colonialist social structure continues to exist until today. In addressing her argument, she explained how the elites wanted development but are unwilling to let go of their power. Thus, the repressive social stratifications based on race — creole, Blanco-mestizos, and the large indigenous community — continue to apply.

As a region with a large indigenous population, their culture and history were appropriated to make a national identity, but the people continue to face marginalization.I find her point deeply amusing because it is aware of not just colonialism as a practice of occupation and exploitation but epistemic colonialism. The society comprises racism, classism, and a profoundly repressive colonial structure, even though the ‘colonizers’ have left. The game is still the same, only the players have changed. When the Latin American people are conscious of these repressive structures — especially the indigenenous people — it will spark people’s movement of resistance. Lately, we can see these sort of movements happening all across Latin America, from Chile, Peru, Guatemala, and Bolivia.

In conclusion, the practice of imperialism, colonialism, and capitalism has damaged Latin American countries — especially its people. The elites might have benefited from it, but the wider general population has suffered severely. Economically it is by marginalizing Latin America as a periphery to the US and domestically impoverishing the poor. “Coincidentally” these people who are most impoverished are the indigenous or the afro communities, who were people in the lowest strata of society during colonialism. From this, we can see that there is a connection between economic class and race. Thus, the lingering impact of colonialism has manifested into the neoliberal globalization that repress and impoverish the marginalized communities of Latin America — namely the indigenous people and the afro community.

References

Baud, M. (2005). Beyond Benedict Anderson: Nation-Building and Popular Democracy in Latin America. International Review of Social History, 50(3), 485–498. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0020859005002191

Greenwald, G. (2020, July 23). The u.s.-supported coup in bolivia continues to produce repression and tyranny, while revealing how U.S. media propaganda works. Retrieved from The Intercept website: https://theintercept.com/2020/07/23/the-u-s-supported-coup-in-bolivia-continues-to-produce-repression-and-tyranny-while-revealing-how-u-s-media-propaganda-works/

Vanden, H. E., & Prevost, G. (2015). Politics of Latin America : the power game. New York: Oxford University Press