Chapter 6 Commerce, Coercion, and America’s Empire touches on the deep history of the relationship between the United States of America and Latin America, and how colonization has significantly altered both these regions. The views on the American presence in Latin America are rather interesting, as it states they are often viewed as a violent oppressor or a noble savior. The US has participated in many conflicts and battles that have been faced in Latin America, although their position is almost always against to region, in some attempts to acquire territory. Which in fact they do acquire land, Porto Rico. It appears that the Untied States dominance is felt across the Latin America region, whether in fear or spite. Document 6.1 by Augusto Sandino, reveals a sense of nationalism, and pride for how far the nation has come that was once oppressed, but now flourished into a new stage of independence. His sense faith, and belief in his nations, is very evident I find, as he states, “I accept the invitation to the struggle and I myself will provoke it, and to the challenge of the cowardly invader and the traitor to my country I answer with my battle cry.” (199). This clear depiction that he is willing to fight for his independence and the pride of his country not matter the cost or the situation. I find this similar to a lot of the other documents in this textbook; they all seem to identify with similar feelings of pride in being a part of Latin America. I find this inspirational, as no matter the obstacles they face it appears that the people always faithfully stand by their nation, even if it puts them in an insecure place. The next document, 6.3 by Ariel Dorfman and Armand Mattelart shows the relationship between colonization and Disney. It shows the different levels of importance and treatment that are given to the people colonizing, and the people being colonized. It pushes the idea of a defined “lower class” should like to youth. Although, it appears that it shows the tensions that often emerged between the Europeans and the Indigenous place to the region. Although, the relationships that were shown by Disney were often misleading and far reality. Each interaction, between the Europeans and the Indigenous people in Latin America, from the documents that I have read so far have all resulted in some type of conflict, which in the long run lead to the independence of a nation.

Reading chapter five the Signs of Crisis in the Gilded Age was an interesting insight to affiliations that are often made with a crisis. The first connection I noticed was that people were associating growth in industry with conflict. It talks about how in Mexico the railway construction was always accompanied by minor conflict, specifically in rural communities. This rural conflict soon escalated into violence. The violence was intended to stop modernization itself. The document to Roosevelt by Ruben Dario discussion the United States as an ultimate power, a wealthy, fasted paced country that dominates the globe. He makes the United States sound like a cruel and controlling country, with only the aim of conquest. I found it interesting, how at the end of document it stated the United States might have almost everything, but they are lacking one thing and that was god. He indicates that maybe the United States is lacking religious connections and beliefs, and that it focuses too much on control and modernization. The second document the Plane de Ayala by Emiliano Zapata formulated propositions, which would end their oppression. In the twelfth proposition it discussion the idea of an election to organize the federal powers in Mexico. This idea would allow for a change in government, and the people to decide if they want to move towards a democratic society. I a curious if all the proposed steps were to occur, would Mexico truly move towards a democratic society. In my opinion for this to occur they need a leader who is truthfully devoted to creating a democratic society in Mexico. Not one who might lean towards these ideas, but in reality control the country in way similar to that of Diaz. In the next document, Excerpt from La raza cosmica by Jose Vasconcelos examines the human relationships of law. The author stated the relationships took place under three social stages; material or warlike, intellectual or political, and spiritual or aesthetic. I would be interested to hear his justification for choosing these select terms to represent the human relationships under the name of law. As, he states that they are representing a process that is “gradually liberating us from the domination of necessity” (158). Overall, in my opinion modernization is necessary for major change to occur in almost any nation, as ideas of liberation, modernity, and equality often follow when a society makes the attempt to become democratic. Although, there are few places in which this is not the case.

The export boom as modernity discusses Latin America, but specifically Mexico’s journey of independence, in which the new age President Porfirio Diaz ruled for thirty-four years. It shows the connection between independence and modernization, how after become their own nation, they were able to develop and import products. The region of Latin America lacked resources to build infrastructure, and economically develop the area. When railroads, and the steam engine finally reached Latin America, the region fully began to emerge. I believe that modernity was a necessary condition to fuel the desire to create a democratic society in Latin America. These democratic ideas are what sparked the drastic changes. The document, Hero of the Americas about Porfirio Diaz, presents his view on Mexico and its evolvement over time. It states that Mexico was oppressed by the Spanish for years of cruelty and greed, but turned into a strong, peaceful, and progressive nation. I do believe that Mexico is a very progressive nation, and underwent tremendous horrors in past, there are still major problems it faces today. Many people around the world, who haven grown up in developed nations, may argue that Mexico is run by cruelty and greed. Diaz, believes that by staying in office he shows no threat to democracy, no matter how long he rules if he is doing good fro his country, he should continuously be re-elected. It is true, that if the government is improving the overall statute of the country he could benefit by staying in power. Although, I do believe that a change in office can benefit a nation, as new ideas may be formulated and implemented. The document also discusses the idea that a middle class in necessary for a democracy to form. I agree with this, the middle class, most often works the hardest to reach their status. They are often willing to fight for change, and have more of an influence on society, then the lower class. The push for change from the different class systems, leads to the creation of new laws, and the changing of old ones. Diaz, states that even if a cruel regulation is implement there is a legitimist justification behind it, such as the death penalty. In my opinion, laws as strict and cruel as the death penalty can never be justified, but it necessary for a nation to understand these ideas, through experience. Almost every democratic nation once had these cruel regulations, even in Canadian history the death penalty was enforced. I believe, that once the people experience something they dislike or disagree with, it motives them to make a change.

While reading Citizenship and Rights in the New Republic, I found it astonishing the level of determination people had to make their opinions on their rights and freedoms heard. As, the Declaration of Rights of a man and Citizen did not included woman or slaves. I do agree with the statement that “freedom and equality before the law are universal values; ideals that remain valid no matter what the context”(1). People across the world will always fight for freedom and equality, I leveled it is something that many people in developed countries such as Canada may take for granted. We often don’t realize the endless amount of opportunities freedom and equality has allowed us to experience. We may view rights as universal, but the “citizens” they apply to change depending on the type of authority that rule a nation. In the first document limiting citizenship, I found it interesting how it discussed freedom for people of all colors in Latin America, while the change in freedom during those times was usually not included for people who were different then the viewed “superior” ethnicity. I believe that this is an indication of the diversity in Latin America, the combination of culture and customs. Later in the article it discusses the “danger” of Afro-Cuban religion to society, which was viewed as “witchcraft”. For the times, I do find this typical, in history there have been multiple cases for one religion, usually Christianity is favored over all others. The next document, The Fetishist Animism of Bahian Negroes, discussed the observations of people who were referred to as the “inferior race”. I find it interesting that such a great deal of effort was put in to saving the slavery regime, but eventually it was still overpowered. It is possible that because the Bahian Negroes were forced their whole lives to hide their true selves, disguises their lives. This unsettlement could of possible lead them to revolt. One of the last documents We Are Religious People, Not Atheists, was purely about the true form of Christianity; I found this view very interesting. It states, how we are all equals, in life and death. This comparison, is fascinating, it shows that no matter our “status” on earth, rich or poor, we all end up in the same place at the end of the day. Therefore, we might as well be equals in life. During colonialism, the Spaniards strictly viewed Christianity as superior to all other forms of religious practice or beliefs. The struggles faced during these times, may have been what sparked the idea of equality, thoughts of what makes Spaniards more superior then the Indigenous.