HIST 1400 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Hacienda, Latifundium, Free Market
Document Summary
The countries" economy is almost entirely defined by that one export item. Latin american (especially central american) nations with unstable governments and significant us intervention. Monoculture economy: dependent on one or two export commodities. Vulnerability to diseases, only able to strongly produce and export one or two goods, easier to monopolize. Latifundia: very large tracts of land, owned by a few people. 1830"s: 21 million acres controlled by 500 people. By mid-19th century, one family controlled 1. 5 million acres. Huge estates usually owned by a single person or family. Worked by debt peons (perpetually indebted laborers) No way to get out of debt. Own, small worlds made to be this way. No opportunity to leave or find other work. Many caudillos (coroneis in brazil) rural strongmen were hacienda owners. Filled power vacuum left at end of colonial rule. Do these people have the right to rule. Never explicit discrimination based on race, seen in other implicit ways.
