Why Latin America has experienced so much political upheaval in the last century
Latin America has witnessed various shake-ups from time to time leading to a new and modern world overall. Previously, the Latin American politics did not encourage participation of all the citizens. They only involved the elite group of people. The elites dominated over the natives. This led to conflicts as the rest of the people strived to have freedom. This led to populism, which involves a collection of ideologies putting a distinction between a group of people striving to have their voice heard, and another group of elites who are evil, corrupt and discriminative. The disruption of the political stability in Latin America was caused by social disorders against the common citizens; this includes racism, discrimination against women, heavy taxation, land grabbing and genocides. Efforts to fight these, however subtle, were tried. Initial forms of resistance like small forms of demonstration, refusing to work as well as legally seeking justice were exercised. The minimum resistance advanced from minimum demonstrations to such impacts that have left historical marks. Hence, generally, the domination of the political elites over the indigenous people and subjecting them to social injustice has led to the political upheaval in Latin America.
Causes of conflicts: disputes and sexual discrimination
Disputes have existed in the Latin America over a long time. These disputes were specifically on sharing of the resources. An example is and disputes. Land grabbing by the rich left the indigenous people poor hence increasing the gap between the poor and the rich. Distribution of land and water particularly was very unjust and discriminative against the poor. This meant that the voice of the poor remained low with no one to fight for them. Social inequity is responsible for the increased poverty levels in Latin America..
Another conflict is gender discrimination. This is especially against the women. The women were not allowed to participate in politics. This is blamed on the presence of military governments in the Latin America. It is believed that women participation in politics is normally minimal in any government that is not fully developed. This was evident in Latin America. Naturally, the political systems in Latin America do not nature women to participate in politics. The cause of lack of participation of women in politics is because of lack of mobilization. Hence, to encourage women participation a number of steps had to be undertaken, including mobilizing the whole population and empowering all without discrimination.
How memory movements have responded to political violence in Latin America
Various approaches have been employed in response to the political violence in Latin America. The populists for instance have been involved in the strife to bring to awareness the rights of the indigenous people. These movements are used to create an understanding between the leaders and the indigenous people. They also bring recovery from violent impacts as well as to establish justice in sharing of the natural resources such as land as well as encouraging fair politics involving both sexes. These memory movements include movements that have been planned by the natives themselves.
Mexico’s Zapatista movement & Peru’s Shining Path movement
Zapatista is an insurgent group that arose out of the Chiapas Indians in Southern Mexico. This movement is relatively non-violent unlike the Peruvian shining path movement. The Shining Path Movement on the other hand is a militant rebellious group. Both groups are defiant against their states. They both mainly involve the indigenous people, though the Zapatistas additionally involve a few urban figures and other international ones. Both groups base their rebellion on politics of their respective states. Thought they strongly put up rebellion against practices they do not support, the Zapatista do not involve use of weapons. The Zapatistas ultimately gained the trust of popular and support government and nongovernmental organizations unlike the shining star which came down after the arrest of its leaders do to their violence. Both the Zapatistas and the Shining Path movement are aimed at fighting for the rights of the indigenous people. Peru’s shining path movement was formed much later, that is 1980, as compared to the Zapatista movement, which was formed in 1994. The Shining Star is a very violent movement, and has previously led into a ruthless war against the state of Peru. This movement promoted communism and the indigenous members of the society who were against them would be killed. Unlike the Zapatistas, the Shining Path movement has led to the death of many people. They aimed at taking over the land and administering communism worldwide. Unlike the Zapatistas, the shining path movement triggered civil wars. It resulted in terrorism.
How criminal gangs like Mara Salvatrucha (MS 13) and similar gangs or drug cartels differ from populist political movements in Latin America
Criminal gangs are quite different from populists’ political movements of the Latin America. This is because different objectives drive the functioning of each. Criminal gangs and drug cartel use strength and intimidation to threaten and bully people. Their wars are against the civilians, the indigenous people and the citizens generally. The populist’s movements however wage wars against the government in order to gain rights of the indigenous people. They are mainly political and aim at bringing justice unlike criminal gangs, which administers injustice upon everyone else. Crimes committed by gangs such as drug trafficking and robbery affect the society negatively while populists movement are in favour of the citizens.
References
Aviel, J. F. (1981). Political participation of women in Latin America. The western political quarterly,vol.34,no 1, special issueon women and politics;1981, 156-173.
Brysk, A. (2008). Democratic Reform and Injustice in Latin America: The Citizenship Gap Between Law and Society. The Whitehead Journal of Diplomacy and International Relations, 55-69.
Gregory, K. (2009, August 27). Shining Path, Tupac Amaru (Peru, leftists). Retrieved May 09, 2012, from Council of Foreing Relations: http://www.cfr.org/terrorism/shining-path-tupac-amaru-peru-leftist/p9276
Hernández, J. G. (2010). Historical Social and Indigenous Ecology Approach to Social Movements in Mexico and Latin America. Asian Culture and History Vol. 2, No. 2; July 2010, 176-188.
Hoffman, K., & Centeno, M. A. (2003). THE LOPSIDED CONTINENT: Inequality in Latin America. Annu. Rev. Sociol. 2003. 29, 363-390.
Lee, D., & Cott, V. (2005). From Movements to Parties in Latin America: The evolution of the ethnic politics. Cambridge: Cambridge Univeristy Press.
NorteSur, F. (2011, May 09). Mexico's Zapatistas Join Anti-Drug War Movement. Retrieved May 09, 2012, from Mexidata: http://mexidata.info/id3020.html
