Problems the Nations of Latin America Faced Since 1945 - Assignment Example

What problems have the nations of Latin America faced since 1945, and what role has Marxist ideology played in their efforts to solve these problems? Latin America witnessed the rise of Latin American dictatorships such as Argentina’s Juan Peron and Cuba’s Fulgencio Batista for example. The rise of such dictators brought forth the freedom fighters of socialist in nature. The dictators oppressed the people by excessive and often times punitive taxes and civil obligations that the Latin American citizens are trapped in poverty, with no way out. Oligarchs, through the different mechanisms of the government, only made their pockets deeper and their house bigger, while the citizens who work day-in and day-out are still dying from hunger and starvation with barely enough food on the table. This scenario of social entrapment brought forth the rise of Marxism and Socialism through revolutions, whether in the context of arms conflict or legal-political reforms. Cuba had Fidel Castro, Venezuela had Hugo Chavez, Mexico had Venustiano Carranza, and many more in Latin America. Socialism, with its thrust on social justice and equality to all, appealed well to the people who suffered from an extensive history of oppression by an oligarch or a dictator. 2. On pg. 855 in the section, “The West & Islam,” discuss the current issues between the Muslim world and the United States and why there is such anti-American feeling and resentment. Anti-American feelings, not only in Islamic states, but to the entire world, is the pre-eminence of the United States on the four corners of the globe, from the small island-states of Oceania, to the icy winters of Siberia, the scorching land of Africa, even in the middle of the oceans in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Indian oceans. The United States, in the form of their highly advanced, yet equally provocative, military force engages in all kinds of peace-keeping (or it can be interpreted as an act of war) missions against the guerilla fighters of Southeast Asia, the fundamental Islamic politics of the Arab League, the genocide tendencies of African countries, and a whole lot more issues. Such perceived intrusion to the sovereignty of the states triggered a Jihad, a protest, from the Muslim World against the sole superpower. With Americans, having a bilateral hatred against the Muslims too, the hatred had further spurred forth more conflict between the two parties, and such conflict will not, more or less, subside on the near future. DEFINE 1) welfare state & socialized medicine (Great Britain) A welfare state refers to a theory of governance wherein the state, represented by the government and its machineries, are the main propagators and defenders of every individual’s economic and social welfare. It is anchored on the theory of equality to all people, in that every individual in the state will have the same opportunity to attend, primarily, to their basic needs of food, shelter, clothing, medicine, and others, and on employment, business venture, and other opportunities to reinforce the human dignity of the person. One of the approaches for a welfare state is through socialized medicine. Socialized Medicine is a program that is implemented on a country wherein, under the same principles of a welfare state, administers public health care services to the populace, free of charge (or minimal charging) and adequate medical servicing. There are many approaches to implement a socialized medicine program for the citizens of the country: the government may run public hospitals, conduct rural community medical missions, implement a cheaper medicines act, etc. 2) 1999 war over Kosovo The Kosovo War of 1999 was a long-extended war for independence by the Kosovo people, backed-up by the NATO, and the Serbian state. Kosovo has asserted their independence as early as the 1960s or even earlier, however, the Serbians are persistent in keeping their hold and their sovereignty on Kosovo. In 1990, Serbia launched a “campaign of terror” against the Kosovo People who were doing public demonstrations for their independence. This made the NATO interfere with the ongoing discussions of the war. An ultimatum for a peace deal was offered by the NATO, and when Serbia rejected the offer, NATO launched an offensive bombing mission on key sites against Serbia to prevent an ethnic cleansing on the onset of the war. Until now, Serbia still asserts a strong claim on the land of Kosovo and Kosovo is running their country independently, with the situation being watched by the NATO and by the UN. 3) Juan Peron & his policies Juan Peron served as the President of Argentina for three terms: from 1946-1951 for his first term, 1951-1955 for his second term, to 1973-1974 for his final term. He came into power after a coup, spearheaded by General Edelmiro Farrell, that destabilized and dismantled the then President Ramon Castillo’s administration. He first became a member of the executive cabinet, slowly climbing his way up the political ladder until in 1945. With the help of his second wife, Eva, he was catapulted into office in 1946. His government policies, named Peronism or Justicialismo, basically revolved around the worker’s right to adequate working condition and the duty of the workers to work for what they eat. His policies centered on the alleviating the worker’s welfare. His policy served as the “third way” against Capitalism of the US and Communism of the USSR during a time of great polarization of the world. 4) Simone de Beauvoir Simone de Beauvoir was a writer and a philosopher during the early to mid 1900s. She wrote books that defended the two branches of Marxism, Feminism and Communism, in the capitalist dominated world of France. She actively wrote books that somehow glorified Socialist USSR and Communist China, writing about the majesty and grandeur of those country’s methods on statecraft and the like. 5) Fundamentalism (Christian) Christian Fundamentalism is a political movement espoused by American Protestant churches that is anchored on the Biblical Doctrine and the major beliefs of the Protestant Churches. It adheres and streamlines the Bible and the Christian Tradition has factual and must be adhered to. It is rather conservative movement that openly criticizes and protests against laws or policies that enables liberal social and political changes that contradicts the basic tenets of Christian faith and values. T/F 1. British Prime Minister Tony Blair’s popularity declined because of his support of the United States war in Iraq. -true 2. By the 1970s, Latin American governments attempted to maintain their failing economies by borrowing from abroad, particularly from banks in Europe and the United States. -false 3. Student demonstrations in Mexico City’s Tlaltelolco Square in 1968 brought about the fall of the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) and the immediate election of Vicente Fox. -false 4. Because of the feminist movement, by the 1960s, working-class women were making salaries equal to those of men performing equivalent work. -false 5. Palestinian terrorists were responsible for the explosion on board Pan American flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. –false References Abidor, Mitchell. The Twenty Fundamental Truths About Justicialism. 16 April 2011 . Brucho, Mike. The Question of Socialized Medicine. 16 April 2011 . Center for Balkan Development. History of the War on Kosovo. April 1999. 16 April 2011 . Encyclopedia Brittanica. Welfare States. 16 April 2011 . Minster, Christopher. Biography of Juan Peron. 16 April 2011 . Peace Direct. Insight on Conflict. 16 April 2011 . Stanford Encyclopedia for Philosophy. Simone de Beauvoir. 16 August 2010. 16 April 2011 . Read More