Nationalism - Latin American Independence

Early Nationalism developed out of the ideas of the Enlightenment. Not only were people starting to develop ideas of "consent of the governed" but the idea that they could be independent from the European colonial powers.

The issue behind the episodes of Nationalism and Independence the 19th century involved the shedding of imperial control from Europe, as was the case in the American Revolution.

Some notable personalities include Simon Bolivar, Jose de San Martin, and Toussaint L'Ouverture. Bolívar and de San Martín both raised armies to drive the Spanish out of South America to establish autonomous government.  L'Ouverture led the revolt in Haiti to cast out French influence. L'Ouverture's inspiration? the French Revolution.

The Mexican Revolution of the early 20th century was fueled by nationalistic pride but was caused by oppressive Mexican leadership, not imperial rule.

The Cuban Revolution of the mid-20th century was yet another instance where nationalistic feelings sparked conflict. Cuba's revolutionary figure, Fidel Castro, desired to rid his country of American influence with the aid of the Soviet Union. This conflict saw some of the most volatile episodes of the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviets. The world powers came close to launching nuclear warheads because of Cuban nationalism. Nationalism is certainly a force to be reckoned with.

The class structures of Latin America are determined by the social relationships of basic economic activities. These relationships include property ownership, labor arrangements, forms and sources of income, and patterns of supervision and subordination, among others. In addition, some groups of people may be confined to certain jobs or discriminated against on the basis of gender, race, ethnicity, and so on. All of these factors contribute to the formation and characteristics of contemporary social classes. Given the great diversity among Latin American countries, the following discussion should be considered mainly as a portrayal of general regional patterns. The diagram below illustrates the basic social hierarchy of Latin American society during the colonial error.