Contemporary Nations
What factors in the history of Latin America have contributed to the widespread corruption that has damaged the chances for true democracy and left so many Latinos in poverty?
In the assessment made by Norma Parker being the team leader on study conducted on the corruption in Latin America, there are three factors for the rise of corruption. The findings identified the civil service, oversight and control institutions, weak judicial system, and absence of political will, weak social controls as well as mixed attitudes about corruption. These factors are widespread among Latin American countries thus corruption is now considered systemic leading to further increase of corruption in the region because even ordinary people become adaptive to the corrupt norm of the society.
It is said that the transition in civil service in Latin America contributes to the spread of corruption. Apparently, the reform being instituted for the democratization of Latin America is facing turbulence because of varying political conditions of many countries in this region. The incompatibility results to confusion and abuse in power by some as most of them have a low level of public accountability and transparency.
Another factor is that oversight and control institutions among government agencies especially on budget are proven weak because of lack of political will. The study found out also that weak justice system hoards anti-corruption laws to effect. Above all, the corruption increases because men in the government lack political will that leads to weak social control and other problem related to that.
Corruption is associated to poverty, and the two intervenes in the economic growth of the country. Corruption results to poverty, while the presence of poverty breeds corruption.
Explain the role of religion(s) in the past, present, and future of Latin America.
Latin America practices plurality of religion since the beginning of colonization; although seventy percent of the population is Roman Catholics. The two leading religions in Latin America have made an influence in the preference and behavior of the people. Namely Roman Catholicism and Protestantism play significant and unique role in the formation of ideology of the people. They are manifested given the scenario and the way they react is attributed to the religious influence in their lives.
Silva noted that the difference in the influence is primarily on their political perspective and ideology. The Roman Catholics preachers with the will to preach the social doctrine of the church that includes corruption and militarization among the poor people drive them to openly oppose and reject government proposals due to mistrust and unbelief to their insincerity. The Protestants on the other hand, would likely to join Christian-based political parties or support political party of their group’s choice. They would rather join the political party than to protest against the government, which has also doctrinal root in the Bible. Thus Silva made a conclusion that both Catholicism and Protestantism made a contribution in the way people perceive and react on political and social issues of their country; in which most of the time even dictate the people to participate in their move.
The influence of Protestantism somehow allows democracy in the choice of religion, in which during the colonization of Spain was suppressed that led to many revolts and uprising. Despite government intervention, this democracy cannot be prevented as Protestantism grew rapidly in the whole continent; and because many more people coming from Asia, Europe, and other countries, the government cannot impose one religion policy. Thus religious democracy is also political freedom wherein people could decide on their own based on their conscience.
Authoritarian regimes have been, and to an extent still are often the norms in Latin America. Cite at least 5 examples where authoritarian regimes produced a positive outcome that actually helped the people of their respective countries.
Latin America is characterized by authoritarian regimes beginning its colonization by Spain. However, in the twentieth century many authoritarian regimes have emerged from different countries in Latin America. The regimes during the latter part of the twenty-first century were brutal characterized by torture and murders all over the land. However, the authoritarian rules of dictators during the 70s and 80s have played significant role in the lives of the people.
Lewis noted significant changes in the labor policies resulting to impressive growth of labor organization (bureaucratic authoritarianism). The authoritarian/military regime in Brazil in 1964-1985 led to the “rapid, large-scale and progressive development of the rural trade in union movement” (Lewis, p. 11). Similarly, the imposition of dictatorships in Argentina, Brazil and Chile resulted to increase in “unionization rate after the military assumed power” (ibid). Not only the labor groups benefited from the dictatorship, it also led to formulation of economic policies and other reforms in the society. This arrangement paved the way to re-democratization of Latin America at the turn of the century.
Gradually, in 1980s the culture of authoritarianism in this region weakened and people adopted the capitalist economy brought by rapid globalization. The Latin American countries though hardly could adapt to the transition, struggled to fit the law to the interest of the people that includes military role and functions.
Nicaragua, El Salvador, Venezuela, Brazil, Chile, Bolivia, among others. Why are leftist administrations being elected in country after country in Latin America? Will this trend continue?
After gaining democracy in 1980s and 1990, many Latin American countries turn to socialism where a considerable support for the movement became evident and open to public. This only indicates that Latin Americans gain respect towards the leftists’ ideology despite the collapse of communism in Russia. At the turn of the centuries, the growing number of leftist leaders in the region receives opposition from the conservatives and other countries such as the United States.
Mazza affirmed that the basic reason for the support Latin America gave to leftist movement is the perception that this relationship with the leftist helped find “solutions to the conflicts in Nicaragua and El Salvador” (p. 14) without military intervention. As Mazza noted, many Latin American countries such as Nicaragua, Cuba and El Salvador openly support leftist activists by donating financial assistance, permission to allow rebels to enter the territory.
This ideology has grown further as evident in the winning of leftists on the highest position in the governments. Some common reasons for this are: (1) anti-poverty program, (2) the failure of the U.S. government to bring economic growth in the region, (3) people’s search of new economic model to restore their countries, (4) indifference towards U.S. intervention, and (6) they perceive socialist/leftist movement as “pro-people, pro-social distribution, pro-reducing income inequality, more for social justice” (“Analysts” par. 9).
Few of the noted leftists who took the office were Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva, Michele Bachelet, Daniel Ortega, Rafael Correa, and Ollanta Humala.
One recent report stated that 10 Muslims are caught each month crossing the US-Mexican Border (makes you wonder how many weren’t caught.) Add in the illegal Mexican immigrants, drug shipments, and contraband weapons, and our border situation is volatile to say the least. How would you fix it? What special interest groups might disagree with your solution?
Recent reports reveal that illegal immigration in the US Mexican border has reach to the point that the American public believes it is already intolerable and that the government must immediately fix it.
Under the constitution, it is the congress that has power to fix illegal immigration. Under Article 1, section 8, the constitution vested the congress the sole power to set up a uniform Rule of Naturalization. Article IV Section 4, it declares that “The United States Guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government, and shall protect each of them against invasion.” However the question was ask of me, I could say that there is no better way of resolving this problem than by constructing fences that would make it difficult for illegal immigrant to cross over. The US Mexico border should be deployed with high tech cameras that will be manned by the border security personnel 24 hours a day. The lanes entering the US should be reduced to one lane in order for the border security personnel, to check all the documents of those entering the US. These cameras will be particularly posted on specific areas were illegal immigrants are using as point of entry into the United States.
The group that might disagree with me is certainly the politicians who might even question the solution in view of overlapping of responsibilities. The interest that will be involve in this case, is the constitutional provision that only the congress has the sole power to address the issue.
Reference
Analysts: South America’s Leftist Leaders Often Speak as Ideologues, Act as Pragmatics (2005).
News V.A.com. http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2005-03/2005-03-03-voa68.cfm?CFID=189393232&CFTOKEN=23701510&jsessionid=00308fe7f705911b3c031b387e7b8715e6e4
Lewis, B.M. (1994). The Politics of the Possible. USA: Temple University Press.
Mazza, J. (2001). Don’t Disturb the Neighbors: The United States and Democracy in Mexico,
1980-1995. USA: Routledge.
Parker, N., Berthin, G., & de Michelle, R. (2004). Corruption in Latin America: A Desk
Assessment. Americas’ Accountability Anti-Corruption Project. USAID: Casals & Associates.
Silva, X. (2008). Virtual Schools and the Future of Education in a Globalized World. English
2000. Louisiana State University.