Political Geography Part 2: The State & the Military Early Politics  Authoritarian tradition – conquistadors, colonialism; major pre‐ colonial empires  Since independence: twin threads – democracy and  authoritarianism, hybrid forms of authoritarian democracy  Elite retreat, rise of caudillos  agrarian elite reemerge  (modernizing dictators); caciques bring out the vote in rural  areas (only 5% of adult males vote in Mexico, Argentina in  late 19th century)  Stability, economic growth, immigration brings some new and  radical political influences (ex. Anarchist trade movement in  Argentina); urban working class harder to control than  peasantry Rise of Populism  Catalyst for change: worldwide depression & rise of ISI  ended dominance of agrarian elite and a shift in politics  to populism (appealing to the masses); the state  replaces the caudillo as all‐powerful provider; Cardenas  in Mexico, Vargas in Brazil, Ibanez in Chile, Peron in  Argentina  Urban‐oriented political model – this model  coincides with ISI and industrialists and industrial  workers are a major support base for leaders – more popular in larger countries (more  industrialized)  Corporatism – ruling parties set up and controlled  labor unions and other mass organizations – they  exchanged support by these organizations in return  for improvements  State/party machine controlled elections;  opposition excluded from state’s bounty,  hounded by legal system, physical intimidation Argentina’s Peron Rise of Populism  Nationalistic – populists condemned Latin America’s  dependence on outside powers and often nationalized key  industries – Mexico’s oil (1938), Argentina’s railroads (1948)  Initial success of ISI helped fund the expanded state and  programs  States with smaller, weaker economies military dictators  take over in 1930s (Nicaragua, El Salvador, Cuba, Dominican  Republic); in power for decades, stifling political  modernization and sowing seeds of future upheaval,  revolutions (Cuba 1959, Nicaragua 1979) Fall of Populism  Downturn of ISI led to a fall in populism, and a number of  factors led to the take over of politics by the military in  some state – Brazil (1964), Argentina (1966)  Economic crisis (waning of growth) broke down  improbably industrialist/worker alliance; expansion of  social groups (middle class) wanting a voice in politics;  radical elements such as militant student movements  inspired by Cuban Revolution  Military dictatorships that emerged during this period  were supported during Cold War by the US, and they also  had popular support (especially among the middle class)  to restore order (improve economic situation)  Military rule led to National Security Doctrine – promoted the defeat of ‘internal subversion’ – basically,  anything that threatened the status quo   As a result, human rights and rule of law became  redundant; there was supervision of all activities in  the national space; and military gov ...

1. Political Geography
Part 2: The State & the Military
Early Politics
tradition –
conquistadors, colonialism; major pre‐
colonial empires
independence: twin threads – democracy and
authoritarianism, hybrid forms of authoritarian democracy
retreat, rise of caudillos elite reemerge
(modernizing dictators); caciques bring out the vote in rural
areas (only 5% of adult males vote in Mexico, Argentina in
late 19th century)
Stability, economic growth, immigration brings some new and
radical political influences (ex. Anarchist trade movement in
Argentina); urban working class harder to control than
peasantry
Rise of Populism
for change: worldwide depression & rise of ISI
ended dominance of agrarian elite and a shift in politics
to populism (appealing to the masses); the state

2. replaces the caudillo as all‐powerful provider; Cardenas
in Mexico, Vargas in Brazil, Ibanez in Chile, Peron in
Argentina
political model – this model
coincides with ISI and industrialists and industrial
workers are a major support base for leaders –
more popular in larger countries (more
industrialized)
– ruling parties set up and controlled
labor unions and other mass organizations – they
exchanged support by these organizations in return
for improvements
machine controlled elections;
opposition excluded from state’s bounty,
hounded by legal system, physical intimidation
Argentina’s
Peron
Rise of Populism
– populists condemned Latin America’s
dependence on outside powers and often nationalized key
industries – Mexico’s oil (1938), Argentina’s railroads (1948)
success of ISI helped fund the expanded state and
programs
with smaller, weaker economies military dictators
take over in 1930s (Nicaragua, El Salvador, Cuba, Dominican
Republic); in power for decades, stifling political
modernization and sowing seeds of future upheaval,
revolutions (Cuba 1959, Nicaragua 1979)

3. Fall of Populism
of ISI led to a fall in populism, and a number of
factors led to the take over of politics by the military in
some state – Brazil (1964), Argentina (1966)
crisis (waning of growth) broke down
improbably industrialist/worker alliance; expansion of
social groups (middle class) wanting a voice in politics;
radical elements such as militant student movements
inspired by Cuban Revolution
dictatorships that emerged during this period
were supported during Cold War by the US, and they also
had popular support (especially among the middle class)
to restore order (improve economic situation)
rule led to National Security Doctrine –
promoted the defeat of ‘internal subversion’ – basically,
anything that threatened the status quo
a result, human rights and rule of law became
redundant; there was supervision of all activities in
the national space; and military governments
developed extensive military‐industrial complexes
under state‐led ISI (Brazil exports $1B/year in
weapons in 1980s)
Argentina’s
Military Junta

4. The Military
military in Latin America had always been a central &
independent political force since the wars of independence
Professionalization of the military occurred since the mid‐19th
century –
building a national army with a proper career structure
and a separate value system – encouraging a self image as a
caste apart from – and superior to – the rest of society
has meant a separation from civilian society –
socially and spatially – which separates them from civil
values
schools – high percentage are officers sons
= increased sense of separation from society
spaces – separate neighborhoods, country
clubs/social clubs
position of the military –
they touted themselves as
efficient economic planners, since they were not subject to the
“whims of politics” (formal and informal)
But, by closing down formal and informal (unions, etc.) politics
,
they left a political vacuum in which other political actors rose
up to fill in the void –
begins the rise of “New” Social Movements
Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo (Argentina) – use the
Junta’s discourse of women’s traditional roles, as mothers,
to engage in public protest to find their “disappeared”
children

5. Niños Heroes
de Chapultepec
The Fall of the Military
military in Latin America today find themselves
pushed to the background due to a number of
factors, which include:
cuts from economic restructuring
(military budgets halved across region between
1985‐1994); privatization of military industries
War – makes National Security
Doctrine obsolete; US now sees military
governments as politically destabilizing,
economically less competent than civilian
governments
popular support – people less willing to
endure dictatorship because they also can’t
control economic chaos (proven by Debt Crisis)
Mass Destruction of
Weapons
Transitions to Democracy
Crisis hastened the failure of the military state –
bad economic
planning, free‐spending showed they were no better than civilia
n politicians

6. Some regimes managed orderly exit (Brazil, Uruguay); many ot
her places
investigations, prosecutions for atrocities occurred
Crisis of identity, moral (reviled by public, former allies; confu
sed over role;
falling wages)
Exception: places with continuing guerilla insurgencies (Colom
bia)
Encouraged by US to have more involvement in “war on drugs”
but
leadership fears it opens door to corruption (already on the incr
ease in
Central America)
Political Geography
Part 3: US Intervention
Rising Power & Early Interventions
in different ways during different phases –
which were a function of both global political
processes and internal political culture of the US
Doctrine (1823): Americas is sphere of
influence for the US and Europe should not try to gain

7. political control
Sea to Shinning Sea”—Manifest Destiny (the
idea that the US was destined to expand to the
Pacific):
American War (1846‐48)
of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848)—ceded ½
of Mexican territory to US
“Positively No Hunting”
American Progress (1872)
Becoming Imperial
the late 19th
century you began to see proponents of American
Empire win out over those who were anti‐imperialist –
US policies
reflected this change:
Amendment (1902)—
gave the US the right to intervene in Cuba
“for protection of life, property and individual liberty”
Roosevelt Corollary to the Monroe Doctrine (1904): Not only ar
e the
Americas within the US Sphere of Influence, but the US has the
right
to intervene in the internal affairs of Latin American nations to
protect US interests; Big Stick/Gunboat Diplomacy –
use or threat of

8. military force in order to secure advantage or to avert loss
Early Interventions
Backing Off…Until…
Neighbor Policy (1933‐1945): interventionism was
actually causing a backlash against US interests in the region
Marine occupation in Nicaragua resulted in guerilla
war by Sandino
the COLD WAR changed everything…
Theory: if one country falls to communism, it will
also destabilize those around it
Internal Defense: defending the US through
strategic defense abroad; protecting US interests
School of the Americas (first located in Panama)
provides training in counterinsurgency; declassified
documents show training manuals that recommend
threats, bribery, blackmail and torture)
Cold War
Alignments in
the Americas
Cutting Ties with SOA

9. Questions for McSherry Reading
1.
What was the “US Overseas Internal Defense Policy,” and when
did it
emerge?
a.
What is counterinsurgency, and how is it related to this policy?
b. What is the School of the Americas, and what role did it play
during this period?
i. What are the critiques of this institution? What is it accused
of?
2.
What continuities are there between the Cold War policies of th
e US
in Latin America and those of the post‐Cold War era?
a. What’s the role of the military in the new security paradigm?
b.
How is “foreign internal defense” exercised today by the US in
the region?
3.
What is meant by the phrase “hegemonic stabilizer of the syste
m,”
and how is instability now defined?
Central America Proxy Wars

10. Guatemala & Cold War Politics
orchestrated coup to overthrow
democratically elected president, Jacobo
Arbenz, in 1954
reform policies particularly opposed
by US‐based United Fruit Company
(Chiquita Bananas)
supported Guatemalan army (1950s‐1990s)
with training, money, arms
War from 1960‐1996 killed approximately
140,000 plus 60,000 disappeared
1990s, considered the worst human
rights violator in Latin America
out the National Security Archives:
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/
Changes in Policy?
Today, there’s often a distinction made between Hard versus So
ft Power
regarding US intervention
Military interventions of the Cold War gave way to economic
interventionism through international institutions (IMF, IADB)

11. However, it’s argued that military interventions are still there b
acking
up neoliberalism (see McSherry)
Political backlash to austerity, restructuring referred to as “Pink
Tide”:
radicalization of citizens due to the extreme economic hardships
of
restructuring –
electing leaders who oppose restructuring policies (not
communist, but a little bit left, center‐left –
hence the pink instead of red)
Pink Tide?