Lecture 9: The rise of populism and the cult of personality Flashcards
What did democracy look like in Latin America in the 19th and early 20th century?
- Limited participation in elections with a lot of corruption
- unequal separation of powers
- caudillos, military, and foreign powers had strong influence
- rise of fascism and communism –> challenged democratic institutions
- critiques of conservatives, liberals, and socialists
Who did populist leaders derive power from?
Appealed to the general population by deriving their authority from broad mass movements (unlike caudillos)
How to populist leaders disseminate their ideologies and gain support?
- Exploited urban literacy and education levels to consolidate power
- Maintained power by having an important control over education and mass media (ex. newspapers, tv, cinema, radio, etc.)
What were the main goals of the policies put forward by populist leaders?
Nationalization of key industries and implementation of workers reforms
Who was Lazaro Cardenas?
- Known to be one of the most beloved president’s of Mexico
- Took power in the 1930s
What were Lazaro Cardenas major achievements?
- Nationalized Mexico’s oil industry and created PEMEX
- Implemented major agrarian reforms
- Strengthened labour unions and workers’ rights
- Expanded rural education
- Provided asylum to spnaish civil war refugees
- promoted indigenous rights and cultural integration
What was a critique of Lazaro Cardenas?
The IRP (Institutional Revolutionary Party) installed a one-party democracy with a capitalist economic system
Who was Juan Domingo Peron?
Military man who became president in the mid-20th century
Very popular in part due to his wife Eva Peron (Evita)
What is Peronism?
Combination of nationalism, populism, and corporatism
What did Juan Domingo Peron achieve?
- Policies improving labour conditions and industrialization
- Social welfare programs
- Nationalization of key industries
- united right and left-wing groups (temporarily)
What are critiques of Juan Domingo Peron?
Corruption, economic mismanagement, authoritarian tendencies (especially near the end)
When did women’s movement in Latin America begin?
1920s-1930s
Who was Eva Peron?
Known as Evita
Wife of Juan Domingo Peron
Born in a lower-class family, rose through the ranks to become the president’s eventual wife
What did Eva Peron achieve?
Supported working class movements/workers rights –> provided essential goods to workers and communities
Played a fundamental role in obtaining women’s right to vote in Argentina
What happened to Eva Peron?
Died at an early age
Her death transformed her into a fundamental political myth of 20th century Argentina and Latin America
Why was Eva Peron controversial?
Some believed she was doing it for economic benefits
Who was Getulio Vargas?
Brazilian president
interim president in 1930, ruled until 1945
Created Estado Novo
What were the labour reforms that Getulio Vargas introduced?
Minimum wage
Paid vacation
Collective bargaining protections
What did Getulio Vargas achieve?
Prior to him, Brazil was characterized by the Coffee with Milk Politics (power in coffee barons and ranchers)
Important labour reforms
Created Estado Novo
What was Estado Novo?
- Authoritarian regime that relied on nationalism to gain support and maintain power in the late 1930s early 1940s
- Implemented authoritarian modernization program
- Rapid industrialization, infrastructure development, nationalist economic policies, centralized state control
What was Brazil’s belief about whiteness during the Estado Novo?
Belief that racially mixed and non-white Brazilians could “whiten” symbolically and physically through changes in culture, health, and habits
How did samba arrive in Brazil?
African peoples introduced samba, which influenced already-exisiting carnaval tradition in Brazil
How long did it take for Brasilia to be built? Who was president?
4 years
New capital
Kubitschek
