In Venezuela, coups have occurred after each oil concession and when Cuba nationalized Nicaro Nickel Company, the US threatened France with an embargo if it didn’t stop buying nickel from Cuba. In addition, they have a majority vote on the IDB (Inter-American Development Bank), which makes it hard for other countries to influence lending decisions with two-thirds consensus needed when one country has a majority vote. By 1968, that number grew to 133 branches opening up throughout these countries. When the Europeans saw these gifts, they said that the Aztecs were “hungry swine.” The conquistadors then took all of Montezuma’s jewels except for his gold. Sugar cultivation devastated and eroded Brazilian soil until Barbados became the new place to cultivate sugar. The book originally written to cover Latin American events and history through 1970 was provided with an addendum in 1978. South-South Cooperation 2004. Even though Castro wanted to break free from the US, he still needed time to establish literacy programs throughout Cuba in order to address its illiteracy gap. Montezuma gave gifts of gold jewelry and other valuables to appease him. The growing dependency on Western technology continued to foster these inequities. There is an abundance of people who need jobs and there are not enough job opportunities to meet that need. Section 5 Summary: “The United States Is Generous with Other People’s Savings: The Invasion of the Banks” Since the creation of the IMF, there have been a lot more US banks in Latin America. Latin American Unity — 25th anniversary ed. By doing this, these people became wealthier while making the Brazilian farmers poorer as they worked on their farms. Later on, this led to a plantation system which exploited black slaves as labor for cultivating sugar. Shortform has the world’s best summaries of 1000+ nonfiction books and articles. After a long time, France lifted its trade block in 1825 when it recognized Haitian independence. This has negative effects on Latin American countries that lose wealth from years of exports. “Spain Owned the Cow, Others Drank the Milk” While Spanish colonization dominated much of Latin America, it ultimately could not sustain territorial control of its colonies for several reasons. Galeano notes that modern-day capitalism has shifted from a traditional to dynamic industry. Similarly, Argentina encouraged foreign companies to do business in the country. When Vicente Guerrero came to power in 1829, he tried to stop the flow of foreign products into Mexico. When Brazil started producing its own soluble coffee, these two companies protested; so Brazil had no choice but to impose higher taxes on its product so it could compete with American-made goods. If they overproduced, they’d lose money; if they underproduced, they’d lose money as well. They form a constellation of power that prevents any true social and economic change. The lower classes of Latin American countries earn significantly less than their counterparts in richer countries like the US and Europe because they work for cheaper prices. In the introduction of Open Veins of Latin America, Eduardo Galeano describes Latin America as “the region with open veins” because all its resources flow outwards to the US and Europe. April 2018 His ideas did not lead to a socialist government since foreign trade is too prevalent in Mexico today. Section 3 Summary: “Protectionism and Free Trade” Protectionist policies are detrimental to a country’s economy. The agreement sought to facilitate a system of trade between these Latin American countries that might ease some of the export and import inequities created by the US and Europe. In Brazil, there was legislation passed between 1820-1850 which gave land to those who could successfully produce sugar and coffee on their plots. He believes that politicians promise agrarian reforms but do not follow through with them because they protect their own interests and are not beneficial to peasants. Summary of “Vultures Over Lake Maracaibo”. July 2013 However, after the invention of an alternative method for creating nitrate from the air, it became less important. After Carlos Antonio López’s presidency, his son Francisco Solano continued the isolationist policies. The US erected tariffs to protect domestic products and engage in exploitation of Latin American exports for its benefit. Ultimately, the interests of the oligarchy reigned; they didn’t want industrialization without destroying their own power base—the exporting latifundio. December 2016 However, Galeano argues that there is enough for everyone to have what they need and want. Want to get the main points of Open Veins Of Latin America in 20 minutes or less? Mexican Revolution The Open Veins of Latin America. His passing was mourned by the poor people of Peru, but his actions inspired others to follow in his footsteps. Juan José Arévalo became president. Review test Chapter 10 and the “Dinner” ... Part II—Class discussion about Open Veins of Latin America Homework: Read “The Farewell” in Founding Brothers to page 148IntroVeinsGuided Reading. It’s resources are limited and its people are in need of more. Average Customer Ratings. A study by the Organization of American Studies shows that most US foreign investments in Latin America come from loans and reinvested profits. Brazil was the world’s biggest exporter of rubber for a while, but it didn’t last. Governments like Getúlio Vargas’s (Brazil), Lázaro Cárdenas’s (Mexico) and Juan Domingo Perón’s (Argentina) had to work with the international corporations because they were forced into it by the advancing technology from other industrialized nations, especially from Europe and America. Many gauchos joined the rebel Montoneros bandit group out of desperation due to unfair treatment as displaced ranchers. They provided valuable labor and helped facilitate early exports, but they also led rebellions against their oppressors. January 2017 Read the world’s #1 book summary of Open Veins Of Latin America by Eduardo Galeano here. The British relied on free trade to flourish as an economic powerhouse. November 2016 Even better, it helps you remember what you read, so you can make your life better. In Brazil, slaves rebelled by creating a new form of governance and diversified agriculture. Towns grew up around these mining sites and eventually became cities. Many countries were once reliant on exporting copper but now want to nationalize their resources and keep them within their borders instead of exporting them abroad. This system is ultimately capitalist because it benefited European merchants who received luxury goods in return for their role as middlemen. September 2014 Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent. Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent Study Guide consists of approx. Chapter 1: “Lust for Gold and Silver”. During his reign he became one of Nicaragua’s biggest coffee producers. In other Latin American and Caribbean countries such as Guatemala, El Salvador, Colombia, and Haiti, coffee production is also essential to their economies; however workers earn low wages that are not sustainable over time with only work alone. World History Sugar took over all other crops and eventually spread to Jamaica and Guianas as well. November 2017 June 2017 The result is what Galeano calls a pimp-prostitute relationship—Brazil gives out favors but ends up owing more than it receives. How Do You Build One? These included Jorge Ubico Castañeda (Guatemala), Maximiliano Hernández Martínez (El Salvador), Tiburcio Carías Andino (Honduras) and Anastasio Somoza (Nicaragua). He describes José Artigas, a Uruguayan leader who led peasants and other marginalized groups against Spanish and Portuguese colonizing forces from 1811 to 1820. All three were in financial trouble and needed Paraguay to survive. Reviewed in the United States on December 26, 2010. In response, Zapata issued the Plan de Ayala which demanded the redistribution of land throughout Mexico. French Revolution In 1954, the US government backed a Guatemalan colonel named Rodolfo Castillo Armas for a military coup that removed Jacobo Árbenz from office. World-System Crisis, August 2019 He said that these towns have become ghost towns, and he was told that there used to be a lot of money in those places. They did so by trading cloth and weapons for captured slaves. May 2014 September 2013 The US will always seek out those resources from other countries because they aren’t as plentiful within the country as abroad. March 2015 Section 14 Summary: “Burn the Crops? Retired professor, writer,  and Marxist-Leninist-Fidelist-Chavist revolutionary, All They make less profit when they sell their coffee because consumer countries tax them so much. For example, during Brazil’s 1964 military dictatorship, the government promised land reforms which ultimately ended up benefiting landowners instead of peasants and laborers working on latifundios. In 1494, the Treaty of Tordesillas gave Portugal control over most of Latin America below a dividing line outlined by the Pope. Britain’s success was also due to James Watt’s invention of the steam engine, which made it easier to transport human and non-human cargo alike. The price of copper has fallen so much that some mines are shutting down because they can’t afford to operate anymore without making money. This was followed by a period of economic turmoil that affected many Latin American countries. Galeano argues that Rosas’s trade law was short-lived not because of foreign intervention alone but because he was a cattle rancher who protected the interests of the property-owning class. April 2017 The discovery of gold and silver in Latin America by Europeans ushered in a new era of economic growth. Gay Rights June 2015 The cacao plantations in Brazil and other countries were overextended to meet that demand. The Revolution destroyed many cane fields and left them with a need for new agricultural production beyond sugar. The US is a leader in these multinational corporations, since it founded the IMF, which allows them to work with other international banks like the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and Inter-American Development Bank. Eventually, it became clear that the northern states were more successful because they had industry whereas the south only had cotton and textiles produced by slaves. However, these laws were not motivated by a desire to protect Indian lives but rather a need for protection because they wanted to keep their source of labor in the colonies. They tried growing other crops quickly but soon realized that “they confused the knife with the assassin” (93) when it came to sugar. October 2016 It also causes disparity in wages, especially between the rich and poor. Section 18 Summary: The Great Depression and the rise of Nazism. Marx In 1963, David Rockefeller said that the US would “withdraw aid” from those Latin American countries who did not meet their standards (252). Indian slaves were forced into mining, which was often dangerous and deadly work. April 2019 Ernesto Verdeja. Open Veins Of Latin America Analysis of, “Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent” by Eduardo Galeano had a lot of information in it. A section on Guatemala in Chapter 20 of Crash Course Sociology. The book was considered so politically incendiary by the conservative right-wing that it was … It is described as “the mouth of hell” (57) by Domingo de Santo Tomas because it has so many dangers. December 2014 Vanguard Galeano emphasizes how many times throughout history agrarian reform has been implemented only to be reversed later due to outside interference. In Cuba, the enslaved people rebelled by committing suicide to spite their masters. This is due to the insistent demand for these resources in the world market. In this section, Galeano discusses the political and economic divide between Latin American countries that produce petroleum and those in Europe and the United States that purchase it. They needed Chilean copper and had no choice but to deal with them diplomatically. As a colony of Britain, it was neglected and needed to develop its own industries with state protection. Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent - he Invisible Sources of Power Summary & Analysis Eduardo Galeano This Study Guide consists of approximately 29 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more - everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of Open Veins of Latin America. Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent by Eduardo Galeano is the story of the plundering of Latin American countries by foreign invaders. In 1920, it cost $0.22 per pound to get sugar from Cuba and this made Cuban citizens have a higher income than other Latin American countries at that time. These mining sites also brought a lot of vice: prostitution, corruption among religious officials, and churches lined with gold from Minas Gerais. Open Veins was written by a novelist in the vivid prose of a novel and the history takes many liberties, making it more like historic fiction. However, this is masked by the notion of “free play of market forces”. The Spanish wanted to make everyone Catholic, but this was not possible, so they wasted their money on expensive landmarks instead of using it for industrial development. August 2018 I think it is a very important reading. Anderson, Clayton owned several affiliates throughout Latin America that ensured control over cotton production. What listeners say about Open Veins of Latin America. They wanted to change their economy quickly, but they weren’t sure how they would do that. The US continued to extract resources from Mexico using slave labor until around 1900 when slavery ended due to pressure from the North (140). December 2017 Many Latin American countries used loans to build railroads that connected their internal territories to ports. They prioritize advancement of technology and military investments so that Latin American countries are indebted to them for loans from international banks. For example, a country must agree not trade with communist countries such as Cuba or North Vietnam if it wants an American loan. The war ended with all three countries getting what they wanted from Paraguay: slaves for labor and land to grow food on. In Guatemala today, the annual performance of Jesus Christ at the Cross is a way of showing their suffering as well as preserving Mayan culture while integrating aspects of Christianity into Mayan-Quiche religion so that they can remember their history and culture better. Technology is a great force for progress and development, but it can also be an instrument of oppression. Planes and jet engines also run on these materials. While Martínez was killing thousands of peasants who revolted, Ubico killed trade union and political leaders. 5.0 out of 5 stars Open veins of Latin America. Overall Summary. The United States, in particular, consumes almost as much as the rest of the world combined. As a result, gauchos were forced into servitude under 1815 decree that every countryman without property had to carry identification cards checked by their masters regularly. December 2018 Las Venas Abiertas de América Latina, tercera edición, revisada. This paved the way for Francisco Pizzaro to travel to America in search of Incan gold. Neocolonialism Section 4 Summary: “The IMF Has Helped Conquerors to Land” The International Monetary Fund (IMF), which began in 1945, has been a source of inequality and economic dependence. For example, Bethlehem Steel was mining manganese for four percent of its value as an export while Brazil was transitioning into a dictatorship. Galeano also laments the passing of Chile’s former President Salvador Allende and his replacement by Augusto Pinochet. This double identity as a protectionist nation allowed it to avoid being exploited by capitalist nations like other European colonies had been. The historical account covers roughly five centuries. He refused to sell them to the British. Furthermore, Indians were not protected under law but they were still exploited anyway. In 1850, vehicles used rubber for tires and that increased the demand even more. Open Veins of Latin America was initially banned in several Latin American nations, including Uruguay. Brazilian anthropologist Darcy Ribeiro discusses how Indians were exploited by the colonial system. The price of coffee fluctuates in the market and affects farmers. Section 5 Summary: “The Miners, Under and Above Ground” While nationalization of natural resources returns some control of exports to the country of origin, Galeano states that the country can still be “condemned to impotency as ever” (166). In Bolivia, women led a miners’ strike despite brutal opposition from government forces. Many banks bought these failing mills and sold them back when prices increased again by 1932; however, they were still unable to make enough money due to cheap imports from other countries such as Brazil who could produce cheaper sugar cane than Cuba could with its expensive labor costs (87). The author also reflects on seven years after his book’s publication in which he talks about politics in South America. Mining for gold was a major issue in Minas Gerais. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent at Amazon.com. By 1700, Spain went bankrupt. He proceeds to discuss how this relationship developed over time. This galvanized thousands more students and workers into action, forcing the government to accept amnesty for prisoners. Video Summaries of Open Veins Of Latin America. Latifundios are the largest landholdings in Latin America. European colonization destroyed the Aztec, Incan and Mayan civilizations. Meanwhile, owners and managers earned much more than miners while being exempt from health defects due to mining. However, this system of aid ultimately created a dependency between the US and Latin America. With little investment in local production, the Spanish economy floundered. During Juan Manuel de Rosas’ administration in Argentina, he created a tariff that banned imports of tinplate and iron manufactures, riding equipment, ponchos, belts, cotton cloth, etc. Open Veins of Latin America is a book about the history and current state of politics in Latin America. During his presidency, he instituted labor codes and educational reform. After the Cuban revolution, the people of Cuba had to go through a difficult period. In order for it to be rebuilt and become stronger than before, there must be revolution by its most marginalized classes against their current leaders. The wealthy people of the region had plenty in gold but could no longer grow enough crops to feed themselves. No hay una solución simple a este problema de la explotación, sin embargo, es importante que los sistemas de poder reconozcan su hipocresía y se den cuenta de los daños que han estado impartiendo en otros. Section 4 Summary: The Spanish colonized Potosí, Bolivia. This means that Latin American industrial bourgeoisie will always side with Western multinational corporations because they are dominated by them. Introduction: “120 Million Children in the Eye of the Hurricane”. 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