Download Democracy and Latin America

Democracy and the Catholic
South
Iberia and Latin America
Country focus: Argentina
Catholic Hapsburg Empire
• Ferdinand and Isabella marry in 1479
uniting the empires of Spain and Portugal.
• Consolidates two European powers under
the Catholic religion.
• Limitations on political power were
religious and moral.
– Political power checked via supervision by
institutions of the Church.
Values and decline of Empire
• Hapsburg in decline by 1700s.
• Principles of governance directly traceable to
Catholic political thought.
• Stressed unity of faith, universality of membership
in the Catholic body politic, and a corporate
system of government (hierarchically and
functionally arranged).
• This is the social/cultural foundation of these
democracies.
Conquerors view of the
Conquered
• Conquerors (military and priests) viewed
South America from the perspective of
feudalism:
– 1) natural slave class (Indians)
– 2) human sacrifice proved presence of devil and
need for Christianity and Catholicism
– 3) “población y civilización” – an extension of
Catholic perceptions of power.
Catholicism and Democracy:
Mutually Exclusive?
• Catholicism:
• Obedience to Pope
• Accepts a social
hierarchy
• Controls interpretation
of sacred texts
• Democracy:
• Independent thought
• Assumes all men are
equal
• Allows written law
open to interpretation
Catholic countries regarded as incapable of democracy.
Hegemony of U.S. forced Catholic democracies into northern patterns
of democracy (pluralism, civil society, political parties)
Democracy through Catholic
colored lenses?
• Compatibility, organic unity and interdependence over
equality and individuation.
• Conception of government is authoritative and
directive (no separation of powers/checks & balances).
• Membership (in society) universal; inequality natural.
• Justice depends on the leader (virtue) of the system not
the system itself.
• THUS: Is democracy best defined in terms of limited
government/primacy of system over individual? Or
social impact – participation/social justice?
Political Participation
• Ferdinand and Isabella were the representatives of
the unity of citizens under the Catholic system
• Iberian peninsula unified under one government.
• This political head was responsible for guiding the
polity to Catholic virtue (led from the top in
accord with God’s will and law).
• Unity of people allowed an understanding that
government was FOR the people (if not
necessarily by the people.
Sources of Catholic Democracy
• Christian Church gains political authority in 312
AD
• Papacy with indirect power over heads of state in
13th century
• King as part of hierarchy of law (God in the
world).
• Inquisition Limits political power
– Reach of the Holy Office unlimited – abject intolerance
– Obstacle to idea of Catholic democracy?
– Check on political power? (heresy vs treason)
The Argentine Republic
• 2.8 million sq. miles
• 36.02 million pop.
• Ethnicity: 85%
european, nonwhites
15%
• Religion: 92% R.C.
• GDP $263 billion
• Per capita: $7,400
• Growth: -4.5%
• Presidential democracy
• Bicameral Congress
– Senate (72)
– Chamber of Deputies (257)
• Judiciary: Supreme Court
• Administrative
subdivisions: 23 provinces,
one federal district
(Buenos Aires).
Maps of Argentina
People
• Descendants of Italian and Spanish
immigrants.
• Overwhelmingly Catholic with largest
Jewish population in South America.
• Indigenous population mainly in northern
provinces.
• Majority of the population urbanized, half
considers itself middle class.
History
• 1516 Juan Diaz de Solias visits area of
contemporary Argentina.
• Spanish colony est. 1580 at site of Buenos Aires
which becomes an important port.
• 1816 independence declared – San Martin most
important leader of the movement.
• Post Spanish defeat civil conflict over future.
• 1853 Constitution promulgated.
Argentine Politics: Conflict and
Charisma
• Conservatives and Radicals were the dominant
factions in Argentine politics from independence.
– Conservatives – elite controlled, hierarchically ordered
political system (ex: limited suffrage).
– Radicals – fair elections/democratic institutions (Union
Civica Radical)
• Juan Peron emerges on national scene in military
coup of 1943.
• Peron wins election 1946.
Military and Politics
• In 1930s military begins a process of
modernization and professionalization.
• Divided on best political leadership for
Argentina:
– Different factions supported: oligarchy, semifascism, corporatism (hierarchical order based
on function), became convinced it was best
qualified to run government.
1940s
• Antipathy to Allied powers.
• Argentine military views neutrality as good
for the economy.
• Military impatient with corrupt,
disorganized civilian politics.
• Class consciousness emerges among
workers (military sympathetic).
Peronism
•
•
•
•
Corporatism with a difference
Base is the working class, industrialists, military
An interventionist role for the state in the economy
Populist message promising to promote Argentine
solutions while channeling material and psychological
rewards to workers (previously denied).
–
–
–
–
Increased minimum wages
Encouraged strikes, stepped in to settle in favor of workers.
Reduced foreign influence in the economy
Nationalized railroads (GB constructed).
• Initial results positive 1946-50 GDP grew 5-12%
annually.
Post-Peron
• Peron exiled in 1955
– Growing class conflict
– Death of Evita (1952)
– Loss of control (especially anti-clericalism)
• Military stewardship until 1958
– Not effective in reversing economic decline
– Political parties divided (strong anti-Peron)
• 1958-62 transition, Frondizi administration
– IMF program adopted: 25% cut in worker wages, 97%
increase in income to beef industry – emphasis reversed
from workers to capitalists.
• 1966 military intervenes determined to restructure
Argentine society.
Military in Government
• Unable to successfully restructure economy
• Opposition develops
• Clandestine torture, kidnapping on part of
military – opposition groups engage in
terror tactics.
• Peron influencing system from exile.
Returns to power in 1973 elections via
Hector Campora a stand-in candidate.
Onset of Dirty War
• Peron and wife Isabel run as President/VP in 1973
(new elections).
• Peron ticket wins – Peron dies in 1974.
• Isabel unable to control the government.
–
–
–
–
Turns on supporters
Erratic changes in Cabinet
Economy out of control
Revolutionaries unchecked
• Removed by coup in 1976
– military allowed the situation to worsen.
The Dirty War
• 1976-1980 (82) 10,000-30,000 disappeared.
• Shows the ability of a well equipped government
to put down guerrilla movements
• Military goal was to fundamentally alter nature of
Argentine society.
• Military expanded beyond government to social
arenas (sports/charitable organizations).
• Falkland/Malvinas conflict discredits military.
Democratic Transition
• 1983 elections Raul Alfonsin (UCR) Radical Party
leader wins. (6 year term)
–
–
–
–
Disappeared
Economic stabilization
Civilian control of armed forces
Consolidating democratic institutions
– Economic stabilization package less than successful –
leaves office 6 months early.
Carlos Menem
• 1989 presidential election winner
• Reversed the role of the state in Argentine
economy.
• Continued with efforts to resolve “los
desaparacedos” situation.
• 1995 wins re-election.
• Large public sector debt problematic in eyes
of international financial community.
Fernando de la Rua
• Radical Party candidate wins presidential election
in 1999.
• Raises taxes in attempt to deal with debt situation
– chokes off domestic growth..intensifying the
recession.
• Economy tailspins inflation skyrockets, growth at
a stop, government stops citizen access to banked
monies.
• Riots – violence – de la Rua resigns in December
2001.
President(s)
• The Legislative Assembly moved to replace de la
Rua with an interim and scheduled elections for
within three months.
• December 23-30, 2001 – Adolfo Rodriguez Saa
– Continued violence, lack of support from his party led
to his quick resignation.
• January 1, 2002 – Eduardo Duhalde
– Rising poverty, continued social unrest – government
response has been to increase social programs; continue
efforts at economic stabilization.
Personalism versus
Institutionalism
• Argentina’s political history is dominated by
personalities.
• Institutional strength vis-à-vis individuals or
organizations, such as the military is increasing but has
not yet fully emerged.
• Military remains independent of the civilian political
system as opposed to subordinate to civilian rule.
• Military does appear to be out of crisis political
decisions – but is this because of institutional change
or merely because it chooses to remain outside of these
processes?
• Economic growth/stability are still not systematically