Latin America International Relations and History

Latin America International Relations and History

International Relations:

In the 20th century, why did the United States government so often fail to achieve its proclaimed goals of democracy and economic development in Latin America? Use specific examples to illustrate your thesis (Brazil, Chile, Guatemala, Peru …). Pay particular attention to some of the following assumptions of U.S. leaders based on: (1) common U.S. ideas about the peoples of Latin America; (2) the role of “Anti-Communism” as a political ideology used by political leaders in both the U.S. and Latin America since the Russian Revolution of 1917; (3) the types of U.S. economic interests in Latin America; (4) the relationships between the Latin American and U.S. military organizations; (5) and the way that U.S. foreign policy has been formulated.

History:

Since the nineteenth century, Latin American intellectuals, governments and institutions have taken many approaches to creating a “national” identity. Examine one approach from the late nineteenth and/or early twentieth century. What divisions or problems did this approach intend to overcome? Why do you think it succeeded or did not? Be sure to refer to specific ideas, policies and results.