Neocolonialism in Latin America
What was neocolonialism in Latin America, and what were its characteristic economic and political features? What role did the liberal state play in promoting Latin American national economic growth in the 19th century? Use three Latin/South American countries for your examples.
Sample Solution
Neocolonialism takes the form of economic imperialism, globalization, cultural imperialism and conditional aid to influence or control a developing country instead of the previous colonial methods of direct military control or indirect political control (hegemony). The era in Latin American history from 1880 until 1929 is commonly known as the age of neocolonialism. Neocolonialism was a combination of economic exploitation of Latin American states by industrializing countries (Britain, France, Germany, and the United States) and selective military intervention to protect and expand their economic interests. The progressive erosion of economic independence and the emergence of distorted, lopsided economies where balanced growth was impossible condemned Latin America to the “deepening” of underdevelopment, so that its economies served European and U.S. needs, rather than those of most of its own citizens.
