Latin American Change Essay - 3051 Words

Over the course of the past half-millennium, the 33 countries that now comprise Latin America and the Caribbean have gone through drastic change. Since the discovery of the New World in 1492, each country has gone through some level of colonization by a European power and transition to its current state. During this period the regions have seen political, social, religious and economic transformations of various degrees. Nevertheless, many scholars argue that regardless of the changes encountered, many are merely on the surface with little to no meaningful change instilled. A Variety of leaders have attempted to improve their country by both conservative and liberal means. Despite these attempts, though, the underlying foundation of†¦show more content†¦Regardless of the change in government, sweeping social change has not occurred and almost all of these two groups remain poor. The plantation was the center of the agriculture life. Large-scale agriculture is still important as many countries rely on these products as they put large strain on export –oriented growth. Only recently has there been any significant attempts at industrialization and many countries are economically backward. From the very outset of the exploration of the New World, members of the church have been side by side with the explorers and colonists. The church had a dual role in Latin America. The church was interested in saving the souls of the indigenous peoples found in the newly discovered regions and also they reinforced the control of the Iberian powers. A unique form of Catholicism emerged that was a mixture of the three cultures mentioned above. The most vivid example of this fusion can be seen in Brazil were dozens of religions have sprouted with African, indigenous and European roots. The final topic of colonial legacies is politics. From an early point in the history of Latin America, the regions have enjoyed a certain level of autonomy. There was a tendency towards administrative centralism and regional/local decision making which was primarily due to the physical distances to Europe. This incomplete control led to the growth of regionalism, strongmanShow MoreRelatedConflict: the Basis for Latin American Change (Born in Blood and Fire: a Concise History of Latin America)1781 Words   |  8 Pagesindigenous populations. Modern Latin America has conflict built into its system because that is what it has mostly seen for the past five hundred years. In Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America, John Charles Chasteen supports the argument that Latin Americas problems developed due to its violent origins and history of conquest. From the conquest, through colonialism and revolutions, to modern day, violence has always been a main player in the advanc ement of Latin America. 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