Week 7: The Export Boom as Modernity

This chapter was about the export boom and development of Latin America. I found it interesting when Dawson mentions that even today in Latin America, there is a mix of the traditional old world and the modern new world. I noticed this myself while traveling in Central America last year. Some Latin American people are completely devoted to tradition, while others are not. I guess this is common everywhere in the world, but the divide was certainly more noticeable in Latin America. Especially from place to place and person to person.

It was interesting to discuss this topic in class, as I had never considered the difference between agricultural exports vs technological exports. One point made by Barbara, was that even though most Latin American countries have an export economy, usually they don’t do as well as Canada for example, because of their “monoculture.” Exporting only one or few types of goods can be great for the economy when the world is after the product- but devastating as soon as the world doesn’t need that product. This helped explain to me why a lot of Latin American countries don’t have a consistently booming economy.

2 thoughts on “Week 7: The Export Boom as Modernity

  1. melissa prado

    Just like you I found this chapter an interesting discussion as you said in Latin America there as so many differences between people who stick to culture and others who have a more modern or we can even say a western approach. I believe this is also because of the difference in accessibility to technology and modern views as well. Sometimes people are forced to stay within the traditions because they have no accessibility to anything else.

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  2. karen rocio poveda rincon

    Hello Rachel! I agree with you, the export boom in Latin America brought modernity to the countries but they really never forgot their traditional ways. It is interesting how you mentioned the contrast made in class with Canada, it is true that Latin America’s economy is really inconsistent and I think it is aslo because most of the countries still rely on well developed countries.

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