Status Updates From The Penguin History of Lati...

Haven’t been able to make much progress the last few weeks. Collapse of the liberal order and rise of nationalism, ISI and industrialization, consequence political and economic crises. Economics is not my strength and I’m a little hungover so I will have to give this section another pass.

Getting into the 20th century now. I am more familiar with this period of Latin American history than with the 1800s, but already I have found this text incredibly illuminating. I can’t wait to learn more about the patterns of domestic social transformation and foreign interference that belay the collapse of the liberal order

The 19th century histories of Argentina and Paraguay were really interesting, but I need to review the section on Mexico’s troubled experience after independence. This section was quite a bit longer than the others because Mexican politics were so unstable, and I don’t think I developed an enduring framework for understanding the period.

Getting into the brief section on the colonial history of Brazil. Forgot my highlighter at home so I want to go back over it. Still have some 22 pages left but so far I would appreciate more elaboration on the nature of the “donatory-captaincies” that governed early Brazil

On why the New World criollo elite did not resist the Spanish imperial authority which checked their power: “Any direct attack on the monarchy ran the risk of bringing down the complex ideological edifice which kept the double colonialism of the Indies from collapsing in bloody chaos.” I love this goddamn book

Really interesting and nuanced perspectives on the role of the Spanish crown in defining the nature of Latin American colonial society. The monarchy is characterized in a much more sympathetic way than I imagined it would be, but maybe the monarchy had better intentions in its colonial ambitions than I’ve been taught

Patterns and internal dynamics of urban settlement. Adelantados, cabildos, port cities, makings of the hacienda system

Thorough and compelling crash course in chapter 2 on the history of indigenous America and of the Iberian monarchies. Navarre is mentioned only once in passing so to sate my curiosity I had to look up what became of them. I think I got all the broad themes down but I may have to review a little to make sure I absorb all the details I want to carry with me