Unit IV: State and Nation Making in Latin America and Spain: Republics of the Possible (Centeno) Flashcards
What drove significant economic growth in late 19th century Latin America?
The export of primary commodities such as coffee, wool, and minerals.
This growth was accompanied by deep social and economic inequalities.
How did the concentration of land ownership affect the majority of the population in late 19th century Latin America?
It limited access to resources for the majority of the population.
The elite controlled vast estates dedicated to export commodities.
What economic vulnerability did Latin American countries face during the late 19th century?
Reliance on foreign capital and markets made economies vulnerable to global fluctuations.
This exacerbated existing inequalities.
What were ‘enclave economies’ in the context of late 19th century Latin America?
Economies characterized by the production of a single commodity for export, with limited linkages to the domestic economy.
This structure hindered industrialization.
What social and political consequences arose from the inequalities in late 19th century Latin America?
It fostered social and political instability, leading to unrest and conflicts.
Violent uprisings and civil wars were common.
What minimal redistributive effects did the economic system in late 19th century Latin America have?
The state often protected elite interests, undermining efforts for social equality.
Public policies aimed at improving social mobility were often ineffective.
What role did public policies play in the context of social mobility in late 19th century Latin America?
They were often undermined by local elites and lacked a professional state bureaucracy.
This limited their effectiveness in promoting equality.
What was the impact of expanding suffrage in late 19th century Latin America?
It did little to empower the masses due to manipulation through clientelism and fraud.
Elections were often controlled by elites.
What challenges did Latin American states face in building strong and effective states during the 19th century?
Fiscal weakness, internal conflicts, and inability to effectively regulate territories.
These challenges persist today.
What dimensions are crucial for analyzing state capacity according to the authors?
- Territoriality
- Economic power
- Infrastructural power
- Symbolic power
Each dimension plays a role in the effectiveness of state-building.
How did the concentration of land ownership affect the development of internal markets in 19th century Latin America?
It hindered the development because the majority lacked purchasing power.
This reinforced export-oriented agriculture.
What geographic factors influenced state consolidation in Latin America?
Compact geography facilitated state consolidation, while vast expanses posed challenges.
For example, Chile’s geography aided its economic stability.
What was the relationship between political clientelism and state capacity in 19th century Latin America?
Political clientelism undermined the development of a meritocratic civil service.
Patronage networks often superseded formal institutions.
What role did national identities play in the state-building process in 19th century Latin America?
Weak national identities undermined the state’s symbolic power and legitimacy.
Efforts to promote unity often failed.
What is the significance of infrastructural and symbolic power in state-building?
They are crucial for long-term stability and effectiveness in governance.
Successful state-building requires more than just territorial control.
What historical legacies shaped state capacity in Latin America during the 19th century?
Colonialism and concentrated land ownership contributed to persistent inequalities.
These legacies continue to affect state-building efforts.
What is the main argument regarding the relationship between factor endowments and economic success in Latin America?
Political institutions and state capacity are crucial determinants of economic development.
This challenges the traditional view that factor endowments alone dictate success.
What is the relationship between state intervention and economic growth according to the sources?
A strong and effective state is essential for promoting broad-based development.
State capacity should encompass multiple dimensions beyond coercive power.
What are the crucial determinants of economic development emphasized by the sources?
Political institutions, state capacity to establish order, enforce contracts, and provide public goods
These determinants highlight the role of the state in facilitating economic growth.
How do the sources view state intervention in economic growth?
As essential for promoting broad-based development, challenging the notion that it is inherently detrimental
A strong and effective state is necessary for fostering economic growth and social progress.
What dimensions of state capacity are highlighted beyond coercive power?
Infrastructural and symbolic power
Infrastructural power relates to the ability to provide public services, while symbolic power involves establishing legitimacy.
What historical legacies affect state formation in Latin America?
Colonial experience, extractive institutions, social hierarchies, and limited opportunities for local participation
These legacies create challenges in breaking free from path dependency.
What is the importance of a multifaceted approach to understanding Latin American economic history?
It considers geographic factors, institutional arrangements, political dynamics, and cultural influences
This approach recognizes the complexity of development challenges.
How did Latin American republics approach state building compared to the American and French Revolutions?
By adapting existing institutional models from successful countries rather than creating entirely new systems
This contrasts with the radical approaches of the American and French revolutions.
What challenges did both Latin America and Spain face in their state-building efforts?
Weak state institutions, low fiscal capacity, internal conflicts, and political instability
These challenges were compounded by oligarchic manipulation of elections.
Define the four dimensions of state strength discussed in the text.
- Territoriality: Monopoly over violence within borders
- Economic power: Promoting prosperity and efficient fiscal systems
- Infrastructural power: Organizational capacity to maintain systems
- Symbolic power: Monopoly over legitimacy
Each dimension plays a role in state effectiveness.
What does ‘symbolic power’ refer to in the context of state building?
The state’s capacity to monopolize legitimacy and make its authority seem unquestionable
This is crucial for maintaining national unity and governance.
What is the ‘black legend’ regarding Latin American development?
A narrative attributing state fragility to cultural or national character flaws
The text offers an alternative perspective focusing on historical and institutional challenges.
What role did liberalism play in 19th-century state-building projects in Latin America?
Adopted as the official ideology but fraught with contradictions and limitations
Issues included lack of economic infrastructure and control by oligarchic groups.
Fill in the blank: The incomplete development of _______ and _______ power is crucial for understanding the persistent weaknesses of Latin American states.
infrastructural, symbolic
These weaknesses hinder effective governance and service provision.
What were the consequences of the ‘spoils system’ in 19th-century Spain and Latin America?
Undermined the development of a professional civil service and contributed to low state capacity
This system led to political clientelism and ineffective governance.
True or False: The text suggests that the early state-building efforts in Europe and Latin America were characterized by similar geopolitical pressures.
False
Latin America lacked major interstate wars, which were common in Europe.
What is the Ancien Régime?
The political and social system in France before the Revolution of 1789, often used to refer to similar monarchical systems in Europe.
The term highlights the hierarchical structure of power prior to modern democratic systems.
Define the Bourbon Monarchy.
The royal house that ruled Spain from the 18th to the 20th centuries.
This monarchy experienced various interruptions and changes during its reign.
What are Brown Areas?
Territories within a state where the government is unable to effectively enforce laws and regulations.
Coined by Guillermo O’Donnell, this term illustrates governance challenges.
What is Caciquismo?
A system of local political bossism and patronage prevalent in Spain and Latin America.
Local leaders, known as caciques, exert significant influence in this system.
Define Clientelism.
A political system based on the exchange of goods and services for political support, often involving an unequal relationship between a patron and a client.
This system can lead to corruption and inefficiency in governance.
What is the Dependentista Critique?
A perspective arguing that Latin America’s underdevelopment stemmed from its dependent position within the global capitalist system.
It emphasizes the incomplete break from colonial structures.
Explain Despotic Power.
Michael Mann’s concept referring to the power of state elites to impose their will without routine negotiation with other actors in civil society.
This highlights the authoritarian aspects of state power.
What does Empleomanía refer to?
An excessive preoccupation with obtaining public employment, often through political connections.
It is related to the spoils system.
What are Entrepôt Economies?
Economies primarily focused on facilitating trade between other regions through ports and commercial centers.
These economies often lack significant domestic production.
Define Fiscal Capacity.
The ability of a state to effectively collect taxes and manage its finances.
This is crucial for a state’s functionality and development.
What does Hegemonic mean?
Dominant or ruling, often referring to a pervasive influence or control.
It can apply to political, cultural, or economic contexts.
Explain Infrastructural Power.
Michael Mann’s concept referring to the state’s capacity to coordinate society through the diffusion of law and administration into various aspects of social life.
This concept emphasizes the state’s role in societal organization.
What is an Invertebrate State?
José Ortega y Gasset’s description of the Spanish state as weak and lacking a strong central core compared to more advanced European nations.
This term critiques the effectiveness of state governance.
Define Latifundia.
Large landed estates, particularly common in Latin America, associated with unequal land distribution and social hierarchies.
This system contributes to socioeconomic disparities.
What is Legitimacy?
The widespread acceptance and recognition of the state’s authority as rightful and justified.
Legitimacy is essential for political stability.
Define Liberalism.
A political ideology emphasizing individual rights, limited government, the rule of law, and free markets.
In the 19th century, it included ideas of progress and modernization.
What are Limited Access Societies?
Societies where access to political and economic resources is restricted to a relatively small elite.
This leads to a particular form of social and political order.
Define Nationalism.
A political ideology emphasizing the importance of national identity, unity, and loyalty to the nation-state.
Nationalism can influence state policies and international relations.
What are Oligarchic Groups?
Small groups of powerful individuals, often based on wealth and social status, who control a political system.
Their influence can undermine democratic processes.
What is Patrimonial power?
Relating to a system where political power is treated as personal property or a private affair.
This concept reflects the intertwining of personal and political interests.
Define Precocity in political context.
Describes the situation where newly formed states face expectations and goals far beyond their institutional development.
This can lead to political instability and challenges in governance.
What is the Public Transcript?
The open, official discourse and interactions between dominant and subordinate groups.
It contrasts with the ‘hidden transcript’ of resistance.
Define Regeneracionismo.
A Spanish intellectual and political movement at the turn of the 20th century that sought to address Spain’s perceived decline through reforms.
This included combating corruption and promoting modernization.
What is the Spoils System?
The practice of distributing government jobs and favors to political supporters and allies, regardless of merit.
This practice can lead to inefficiency and corruption in governance.
Define State Capacity.
The ability of a state to effectively implement its policies, enforce laws, and provide public services.
High state capacity is linked to stable governance.
What is State Building?
The process of creating and consolidating the institutions and capacities of a state.
This is vital for achieving political stability and development.
What is Symbolic Power?
Pierre Bourdieu’s concept referring to the power to define and shape social reality through symbols and cultural practices.
It relates to the state’s ability to establish legitimacy and authority.
Fill in the blank: ‘Tabula Rasa’ means _______.
blank slate
This phrase describes the perceived opportunity to create new political forms after independence.
