Political Economy of Latin America - Book Report/Review Example

 Political Economy of Latin America Review of Latin America in the World Economy Introduction The book Latin America in the World Economy is written by Frederick Stirton Weaver. Stirton Weaver is a professor of Economics and History at the Hampshire College of Amherst. Before this, Weaver has written on American history in his book, Inside the Volcano. Weaver’s position as a professor and author makes him a credible source in the book, Latin America in the World Economy. This book traces the development of political, economic and societal changes in the country as a result of external events such as globalization and their direct impact on the culture, economy and politics of country. It presents a comprehensive view of the history of Latin America from the global point of view. The book spans over a length of 272 pages and is a pleasant read. The book is particularly beneficial for students and people wanting to get an understanding of globalization on Latin America. Summary of the Content The book uncovers the history of Latin America from a political economic perspective. It traces the history of the country from an agricultural one to an industrial one. On the general note, the book discusses trends of industrialization, globalization and definitions related to the theme of the book. The book traces how the struggle of power in Latin America as the country moved from colonialism to capitalism and how the society evolved with the evolution of society at an international level. In this book, Latin America’s development is considered with respect to changes in the global world. Evaluation Overall, the book is very informative in the way it deals with Latin America. The author has attempted to present a chronological view of the entire history. In the book, the author presents the reader with many case studies and definitions to aid understanding of the political and economic situation. This makes the book very clear for the readers who have basic understanding of Latin America. The writer, in this book, wanted to explore the development in Latin America as a reaction to the changing political and economic scenario in the rest of the world and especially America. In this sense, the book offers a good overview of how multinationals and other economic forces have shaped the current society and economy of Latin America. The author is trying to reinstate that Latin America has been very much affected by the external forces controlling the country. To support this thesis, Weaver has used many references and case studies to back up his claim. The practice of citing different sources in the book reinstates the credibility of the book and the author. The book, however, is not meant for beginners wanting to understand the development of Latin America. Rather, a basic understanding of Latin American history is required in order to fully understand and appreciate the concepts and theories discussed in the book. Weaver places strong emphasis on US and Europe that had particularly strong effect on the Latin American economy. For instance, the author claims that when Communism began to gain strength in Latin America, the US government began to worry. It was difficult to determine the exact reason for the US government worrying about the Communist regime but they took strong and sure steps to curtail communism. Thus, the current capitalist society in Latin America is very much a result of US meddling in the country. This book presents a comprehensive outlook of the situation. It is particularly suitable for college and graduate students who are pursuing Latin America as a subject. The book suggests a different perspective of the history of Latin America. While many books have focused on the history of Latin America, this one is different in the way it treats the subject. However, the focus of the book has predominately been the influence of US and Europe on Latin America. Weaver mainly leaves out other external forces such as Canada, Africa etc. Also the book places more importance on the second half of the twentieth century. Living in America, it is hard to ignore the presence of Latin American people. They are part of the American culture and thus every person has a good knowledge of the Latin American society. We are aware of the Latin American culture through our direct experience with these people. However, the political and economic history of Latin America was basically very vague. The history presents a chronological description of the events that shaped the Latin American people. Also it places responsibility of Latin American development on America. Another interesting aspect of the book was that I could relate with many of the events mentioned in the book. This was because these events have had a direct impact on the American culture. For instance, the labor workforce from Latin America forms a large part of the US workforce both directly and indirectly. Also the Latin Americans are impacted by events occurring within the US. For instance, the Great Depression had a tumultuous impact on the Latin American economy. This book also opened up my mind to how societies are evolving with globalization. With the emergence of transnational corporations, the cultures of countries are also evolving. This book traces that evolution from an economic point of view. The book could have been made more interesting if the writer had considered breaking down the text into appropriate headings and subheadings. It often felt difficult to keep up with the author’s topic as the paragraphs ran too long. Weaver switched from one concept to another and it was difficult to keep track of them. I feel the presentation could have been made stronger. While the author has used illustrations to make the text easier to understand, these illustrations are few and far apart. Conclusion The book is a credible piece of information on the history of Latin America. It also takes a different perspective towards recounting the history. The book is current in the sense that the modern history of Latin America has been discussed. The only aspect lacking in the book was the way the book has been presented. While the author was limited because of the genre of the book, he could have used more graphics and illustrations to make the book more interesting. Review of The Death of Ramon Gonzalez: The Modern Agricultural Dilemma  Introduction The book The Death of Ramon Gonzalez: The Modern Agricultural Dilemma has been written by Angus Lindsay Wright. Angus Wright is an active environmentalist who is credited to be one of the founders of Environmental Studies Program in the University of California. While The Death of Roman Gonzalez was one of the first books to have been written by Wright, the author had good knowledge of the subject. Also having earned his PhD in Latin American History, Wright was perhaps the perfect man to have written to book. The book uncovers an important issue within Latin America. Latin America is predominately an agricultural dependent economy with a low health record. The use of pesticide in Latin America and its impact on the people were still not completely understood by the Latin American people and environmentalists around the world. In this sense, this book has brought a shocking story to the front. For people interested in the exploring the agricultural side of Latin America, this book provides a deep insight. Summary In the book, The Death of Roman Gonzalez, Wright has brought forward the issue of the environmental and ecological impact of pesticides on the Latin American economy. The book discusses the dilemma of the Latin American people and specifically the Mixtec community who has no option but to risk their lives in order to earn money. The regulatory practices of the developed countries do not protect these poor people but only the interest of their own citizens. Evaluation The book is written in a story telling manner. It presents a very interesting recount of the situation in Latin America with specific reference to the Mixtec Community. The flow of the book makes it an interesting and easy read till the end. The author takes the reader through his own experience of the people and the conditions that these people are suffering from. The book serves as a primary source of reference for readers like us who are not aware of the depth of the situation. The readers develop a connection with the poor people. The book depends on mostly the pathos appeal in developing the interest of the readers. As the reader goes through the book, he cannot help develop an emotional response of the book. As a reader, I felt frustration and a sense of helplessness at the poor people. At the same time, I felt angered at the attitude of the US government towards these people’s helplessness. In my opinion, the book manages to be quite convincing for the average reader. When the writer uses the emotional appeal, he makes a direct connection with the reader. Also, his credibility as the writer is reinforced when he discusses the government initiatives and plans for the situation. The use of pathos and logos makes the book convincing for the readers. One example of how the reader does this by discussing how the bureaucrats in Mexico and America deal with the situation. It was alarming to read that the bureaucrats have no consideration for their own people or those that work for them in such oppressing conditions. Despite being aware of the ill effects of pesticides, the bureaucrats did not inform the public of these issues. Rather they played down the impact of these pesticides, overriding the fact that they had a responsibility towards their own people. The US government also did not pay heed to the situation. Rather US companies made billions of profits from these pesticides. On the other side, the book unfolds the condition of the poor people. Some of them are aware of the dangers of pesticides but it is shocking to note that they still use it because they have no other option. They have been caught in a cycle. They need to spray these pesticides to kill insects but then these pesticides make the remaining insects powerful enough to cause malaria. It is not difficult to imagine that such a world exists on the same sphere as our normal world and that we may be responsible for these people to a certain extent. The book suggests a very horrifying picture of the government both in Latin America and USA. The government in Latin America is authoritarian with no care of its own people. The government wants to progress despite the impacts it has on the health of its people. The US government on the other hand, has taken a passive role in the fight. It can do a lot in changing the environmental condition in Latin America but is not doing anything because the benefits of the pesticides in US far outweigh its disadvantages in the country. The readers should be aware of the politics of both the countries. People wanting to evaluate the history of Latin America should read the book since Latin America is predominately an agricultural country despite developments in the country. Also readers should be aware of the fact that pesticides have a dangerous effect on them also as users of the pesticide infected food. However, it is shocking to note that despite the dangerous effects of pesticides, Latin America is still heavily dependent on them. The food that we get from Latin America contains these pesticides which mean that we consume these pesticides and they would have direct consequences on our health. Also we are contributing to this unsafe use of pesticides. We, as consumers, can bring about a change in this if we demand an ethical functioning of the entire system. I cannot understand how the Latin American people have continued to use these pesticides. If they take a strong step against the government, surely the situation can be improved to a great extent. Conclusion Overall, this book is one of the best books that I have read in my life. It takes the reader through a journey of the helplessness of some very poor people. While the book deals only with the environmental effects of pesticides, it opens up the readers’ minds to the brutality of the people and governments in power. It raises an ethical responsibility among the readers. It has had a strong impact in my mind. I would definitely recommend this book to other people. I would not say that this book is suited to people interested in Latin America or the environment; rather everyone should read the book as everyone is directly or indirectly impacted by the message and story contained in the book. Review of Mexican New York: Transnational Lives of New Immigrants Introduction The book, Mexican New York: Transnational Lives of New Immigrants has been written by Robert Smith. Robert Smith is an Associate Professor of Sociology, Immigration Studies and Public Affairs at the City University of New York. Smith is also the coeditor of Migration, Transnationalization and Race in a Changing New York. Mexican New York is ethnography on the lives of Mexican Americans living in New York. Two generations of the race are related in the book and their struggle to fit into a new culture while trying to maintain a separate identity. The author also explores who the cultures in both the home and the host country have evolved as these country allow for immigration to occur. In my opinion, the book explores a life that is very relatable to people living in the US. Even those that are not Mexican can understand the dilemmas and challenges faced by these people. Summary: In the classic book, Mexican New York, Robert Smith explores another side of New York City. He shows the lives of the increasing number of Mexicans who have come to live in New York. He discusses that migration patterns have evolved over the past few decades to give way to the formation of transnational communities. Such communities live in New York alongside a richly diverse population and struggle to maintain their identity. These communities have a biggest challenge in trying to adapt to both the cultures and this is specifically difficult for second generation Mexicans who have lost their link to their home country. Evaluation In this book, Robert Smith was presented with a daunting challenge of trying to capture the lives of Mexicans living in New York. While it may not seem challenging to deal with ethnographies, but in my opinion executing a successful ethnography is a challenging task. Smith has been able to achieve this as he skillfully captures different aspects of these immigrants. He has explored how immigration has evolved over the years. For instance, the improvement in the immigrants’ living conditions has been explained by Smith in great detail. The life of the Mexican Americans living in New York is a complex topic but given Smith’s background, he was able to do a good job in this book. His expertise in the subject as well as his previous experience in coediting a book of similar subject would have helped him in executing the book. Despite his experience, the book required a great deal of research. The book is a credible piece of ethnography on Mexican Americans. The most eloquent aspect of the book was the way Smith explains the relationship of these immigrants with their home country. Smith does not confine Mexican Americans to New York but rather he explores how they relate to their origins in Mexico or more specifically the Tiquanense Community. When the first generations of Mexicans came into New York, they enjoyed a better lifestyle. Their status in their home country also improved but while these people continued to live in New York, they faced some challenges in trying to conform their children to the same culture. For this, they had to adapt with their children and the new culture that their children had formed. Smith has also explored this aspect of the immigrants’ life. However, at times, I felt that the book was unable to retain the interest of the reader. This was when Smith turned the readers’ attention to politics in Mexico. As a reader, I was more interested in the personal lives of these people, their problems and how they were trying to adapt to the culture. Rather, Smith was more concerned with how these immigrants had an impact on the local Mexican culture and politics. In this manner, I also felt that Smith was deviating from the subject at hand. When I started reading the book, I assumed that the book would be more personal considering its title. In this manner, I was a little disappointed when I realized that the book dealt with Mexican politics more than it dealt with Mexican Americans. I also felt that the book did not end on a conclusive note. It seemed that Smith’s observations on the immigrants were still incomplete when he wrote the book. This was because during the entire book, Smith has clearly documented the immigrants’ lives and it had become clear to the readers that Smith is a credible authority on the subjected. The readers were expecting Smith to end the book by discussing the implications of what he researched. He was the person who could have provided the readers with a calculated guess on what the future held for the people of these Mexican Americans living in New York. In my opinion, Smith should have discussed how life would be for the second or third generations of these Mexican Americans living in New York. This book is more helpful in understanding Mexican politics and culture on the whole. Smith has been able to define how the Mexican culture has evolved as immigrants have started to move to America. These immigrants have maintained ties with their home country, thus creating a passage for the flow of cultural movement to and fro from America. Smith has been able to document this amalgamation of two cultures and their impact on both the countries. Conclusion Overall, the book offers a deep insight into the lives of the Mexican living in New York. It opens up the readers towards a new perspective of these Mexican Americans who have not lost ties with their home country; rather these people continue to live both the cultures. This book, however, was an impersonal way of dealing with the subject. The author pays more attention to the power play of these immigrants in Mexico rather than exploring their personal hardships, successes and failures. I would recommend this book to students studying Mexican American culture. While other books on subject are limited, this book provides an exhaustive detail on the lives of the Mexican Americans. This book can also be used as a reference point for those wanting to find out the way immigrants effects relationships and culture in both the host and the home country. Review of A House Of My Own Introduction The book, A House of My Own is written by Susan Lobo. Susan Lobo has a PhD in Cultural Anthropology. For this particular book, Lobo went forward to actually live in the squatter settlements outside Lima. These settlements are considered to be extremely dangerous as they are stereotyped for harboring criminals. Lobo has been credited with a number of book relating to the same genre. These include American Indians and the Urban Experience, Urban Voices: the Bay Area American Indian Community, and Native American Voices: a Reader. In this book, Lobo has made an attempt to remove previous misconceptions regarding the squatter settlements. In order to remove these misconceptions, she went ahead and experienced life in these barriadia first hand. In my opinion, this book is exceptionally well written even though I may not totally agree with the thoughts of the writer. Lobo was unable to convince me regarding the goodness of life in such a community. Summary In this book, author Susan Lobo has presented the readers with an ethnography of Peruvian barriada-dwellers with specific reference to two communities, Ciudadela Chalaca and Dulatono. Both these communities dwell in the squatter settlements outside Lima. Lobo has tried to remove previous misconceptions regarding these communities. She argues that these communities are not as disorganized and criminal as the urbanized society assumes but rather they operate in the manner of organized highland lifestyle. These people have come to redefine the way societies operate through their clever and innovative ideas about society and lifestyles. Evaluation I particularly liked the book for its simple sentences and the flow of words. The book was a pleasant read and it compels the readers to keep reading. This is because it involves the reader by challenging our beliefs regarding such settlements. The use of pictures in the book makes the book more interesting. This is because, even though the writer has been description in her book regarding the settlements, the pictures allow the readers to view the communities first hand. These pictures present a more objective view of these settlements. As a reader, I felt that these pictures told stories that at times Lobo was unable to elaborate. It is clear that Lobo has expertise on this subject. While discussing these settlements, Lobo does not focus entirely on the people living in these communities; rather she gives a reader a history of the development of such settlements. While many readers may not be interested in this history but this reference serves to establish the credibility of the author. The book familiarizes the readers with squatter settlements. As a reader living in an urban city, I always had very negative perceptions regarding such settlements. I would not argue that even I assumed that such settlements harbor criminals or people below the poverty line. Otherwise, why would people go out of their way to live in such settlements and continue to be ridiculed by the society? In this aspect, the book opens up the reader to the people in these settlements. It forces us to acknowledge these people. At times, we ignore the presence of these people because we consider them to be a hindrance or rather a blemish in the modern civilized society that we live in. But, while we do so, we fail to take into account that they people contribute to the society in their own way. Most people are not willing to accept this but Lobo forced the readers to do so. However, I do not completely agree with Lobo when she says that these societies are being stereotyped in a negative manner. These communities have earned such stereotypes over the years. While these stereotypes have been exaggerated over the passage of time, Lobo cannot deny that there is some truth in such stereotypes. The crime rate in such communities tends to be higher than in other civilized urban centers. The law and order situation in such communities is still disorganized. I began the book with an open mind regarding these communities. I assumed that I would find out that people in these communities were not as bad as I thought them to be. While Lobo does an excellent task in trying to convince the readers, I would say that I was not totally convinced. I still harbor some doubts regarding these communities and I am still not comfortable in venturing out to explore such squatter settlements. I assume that Lobo was lucky to have found the right people to interact with. The description of the community that Lobo gives is a romantic one. It talks about people who are willing to sacrifice for the good of their family. These people have values that define the way their society operates. But the core issue is that such people in such communities are afraid of their own people. Lobo also claims that these people have stereotypes regarding their own communities. This comes in stark contrast with Lobo’s claim that these communities stand by each other. Despite this, I felt an affinity with the people in the book. I may not be living in the same conditions as these people, but it is difficult to ignore the fact that these people have the same emotions, feelings and aspirations as every other person. In this manner, I would say that Lobo has been successful in opening up the readers’ hearts to these people who live happy lives despite being forced to live in such horrendous conditions. Conclusion Overall, I liked that layout of the book. The author, Susan Lobo took a bold topic to explore. In this book, Lobo comes forward with a very contradictory claim that life in squatter settlements is not as dangerous as it seems. While the average reader may be willing to open up his mind to such a possibility, he would still not be willing to risk his life by going out to live in such settlements. I would recommend this book to people who wish to get a primary account of an outsider in such settlements. Work Cited Lobo, Susan, A House of My Own, Social Organization in the Squatter Settlements of Lima, Peru, Arizona: University of Arizona Press, 1981, Print Smith, Robert, Mexican New York: Transnational Lives of New Immigrants , California: University of California Press, 2005, Print Weaver, Stirton Latin America in the World Economy, Mercantile Colonialism to Global Capitalism, Colorado: Westview Press, 2000, Print Wright, Agnus, The Death of Ramon Gonzalez: The Modern Agricultural Dilemma, Texas: University of Texas Press, 2005, Print Read More