The Poverty of Progress: Latin America in the Nineteenth Century

by E. Bradford Burns

From the Preface by Bradford Burns:If this essay succeeds, it will open an interpretive window providing a different perspective of Latin America's recent past. At first glance, the view might seem to be of the conventional landscape of modernization, but I hope a steady gaze will reveal it to be far vaster and more complex. For one thing, rather than enumerating the benefits accruing to Latin America as modernization became a dominant feature of the social, economic, and political life of the region, this essay regards the imposition of modernization as the catalyst of a devastating cultural struggle and as a barrier to Latin America's development. Clearly if a window to the past is opened by this essay, then so too is a new door to controversy. After most of the nations of Latin America gained political independence, their leaders rapidly accelerated trends more leisurely under way since the closing decades of the eighteenth century: the importation of technology and ideas with their accompanying values from Western Europe north of the Pyrenees and the full entrance into the world's capitalistic marketplace. Such trends shaped those new nations more profoundly than their advocates probably had realized possible. Their promoters moved forward steadfastly within the legacy of some basic institutions bequeathed by centuries of Iberian rule. That combination of hoary institutions with newer, non-Iberian technology, values, and ideas forged contemporary Latin America with its enigma of overwhelming poverty amid potential plenty. This essay emphasizes that the victory of the European oriented ruling elites over the Latin American folk with their community values resulted only after a long and violent struggle, which characterized most of the nineteenth century. Whatever advantages might have resulted from the success of the elites, the victory also fastened two dominant and interrelated characteristics on contemporary Latin America: a deepening dependency and the declining quality of life for the majority.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, World History

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[Vivis · Rating 4 out of 5]

This essay questions the constant eagerness of the elites to promote "progress","modernization", "urbanization" and "industrialisation" in the LATAM region. Was "europeanization" of the culture was really the best formula for a land in which the different cultures had already their own government, economy and ideologies? Who defined "progress" as railroads, connectivity and capitalism? Why did every society in LATAM region was encouraged to follow a "PARIS" look-like modernization? This eagerness did not consider the violence that such an imposition would cause in indigenous and rural spaces and rather stereotyped people, divided society into socio-economic classes and widened the gap between the rich and the poor. Maybe, if the concept of "progress" would have been readapted for each country in LATAM considering the differences between cultures and resources, there would be less poverty in the region and an alternative economic model that administrated better the resources of each country.

[Daniel Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book explores a persistent problem of Latin America in the 19th century and beyond - the persistence of widespread poverty in a wealthy region. The author's thesis is that "for the majority, the heritage of modernization was proving to be increased concentration of land in the hands of ever fewer owners, falling per capita food production with the corollary rising food imports, greater impoverishment, less to eat, more vulnerability to the whims of an impersonal international market, uneven growth, increased unemployment and underemployment, social, economic, and political marginalization, and greater power in the hands of the privileged few" (pg. 150). Contrary to many histories that highlight 19th-century economic growth, the author argues that the 19th century actually marked a decline in the fortunes of the people of Latin America and the Latin nations as a whole. Not only were the masses better off under the colonial systems, but "modern" economic growth actually showed a decline in wages, food production, land ownership, and food consumption even over the course of the 19th century.

The author makes convincing use of statistical data and numerous primary sources to explore multiple facets of progress. The issues of what progress meant to 19th century Latin Americans is examined from the perspectives of Western-oriented elites, dissident intellectuals, the rural patriarchal landowners, and the popular resistance and adaptation to "modernization" efforts. I think this is a brilliant book, and I have only 2 possible reservations: first, this book is almost 40 years old, and second, I wish the author made more use of non-elite primary sources. There is an irony in a chapter called "The Folk Speak" where the primary sources are almost exclusively drawn from politicians, journalists, and foreign observers talking about the "folk".

[Logan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Presents the thesis that the struggle between modernization and tradition shaped 19th century Latin American history. Interesting polemic that feels a bit limited.

[Sarah Capps · Rating 3 out of 5]

His thesis was fine but the book was repetitive. If it had been better organized, I think it could have been half as long.