Weekly Reflection

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Week11-PowerPointPresentation.pdf

Political�Geography Part�4:�The�Left�in�Latin�America

Rise�of�Guerilla�Warfare � Guerilla�tactics�devised�by�Augusto�Cesar�

Sandino�when�fighting�against�the�US� occupation�in�1920s�Nicaragua � Avoid�setͲpiece�confrontations�where� enemy�has�advantage�of�superior� firepower

� Use�hitͲandͲrun�tactics,�surprise�� rather�than�defend�fixed�positions.� Objective�not�to�occupy�territory,�but� make�costs�of�occupying�too�high�for� enemy

� Operate�in�small�groups�for�mobility� and�to�avoid�detection

� Rely�on�local�knowledge�and�support� base�to�outwit�the�enemy

Rise�of�Guerilla�Warfare � Cuban�Revolution�of�1959�begins�modern�

guerilla�era � Convinced�Latin�American�left�that� revolution�could�be�triggered�by� “focos”�(small�nuclei)�of�guerillas � Fighters�were�often�young�people� who�had�seen�peaceful�change� blocked�by�electoral�fraud�and/or� physical�repression�(example:�El� Salvador�– military�denied�electoral� victory�by�reforming�coalitions�in� 1972�&�1977)

Developing�the�Radical�Left

� Factors�leading�to�the�rise�of�guerilla�movements�in�Latin� America � Successful�revolution�in�Cuba � Thwarted�hopes�for�the�electoral�process� � Expansion�of�higher�education�since�1960s�(student� population�increased�15x�in�Mexico,�Brazil�by�1980) � Disconnect�between�raised�expectations�and� economy’s�inability�to�meet�them � Young�radicals�left�for�countryside�but�most�focos failed

Failure�of�Foquismo � Guevara�in�Bolivia�in�an�example�of�the�failure�of�focos – in�

this�case�a�failure�based�on�lack�of�contextual�knowledge � Bolivia�was�supposedly�“ripe�for�revolution”�(the�poorest�

country�in�the�region).��However,�the�site�selected�was�a� remote�SE�province�– Guaraní�speakers�(not�Spanish),�more� prosperous�(less�disaffected),�remote�area�cut�off�from� central�govt.�(less�animosity�towards�government)

� CounterͲinsurgency�training�by�US�for�Bolivian�army

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Other�Guerilla�Models � Guerilla�tactics�evolved�to�focus�more�on�longͲterm�

program�of�political�work�with�peasantry�– became� genuine�peasant�armies�(example:�El�Salvador’s�FPL� modeled�on�Vietcong)

� Urban�Guerilla�Movements�– a�new�phenomenon�in�the� late�1960,�early�70s�– concentrated�on�spectacular�actions� (“armed�propaganda”)�to�win�publicity,�support;�won�little� lasting�support,�but�led�to�severe�repression�– criticized�for� lack�of�political�direction,�tendency�for�terrorismͲesque� methods � Monteneros�(Argentina),�Tupamaros�(Uruguay),�M19�

(Colombia) � Rural/Urban�Combinations�

� Nicaraguan�Revolution�1979�– Unity�among�various�left� ideological�camps;�combination�of�rural�guerilla� warfare�with�urban�insurrection�(Nicaraguan� revolution�1979)

� Shining�Path�(Peru)�– Power�of�a�charismatic�leader;� authoritarian�&�violent�movement�using�intimidation� to�gain�support

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Other�Guerilla�Models � Zapatista�National�Liberation�Army�– described�as�first�

“postͲmodern”�revolution�– not�trying�to�seize�power�from� the�state;�see�themselves�as�one�part�of�broadͲbased� coalition�to�make�Mexico�more�democratic;�main� demands:�defense�of�indigenous�culture�and�peasant� agriculture � Movement�began�on�January�1,�1994�(date�NAFTA�was�

implemented);�occupied�four�towns�in�Chiapas � Governed�by�a�council�of�representatives�from�the�region’s�

indigenous�communities;�charismatic�spokesperson:� Subcomandante�Marcos

� Chiapas�as�Internal�Colony:�"The�natural�wealth�that�leaves�these�lands� doesn't�travel�over�just�these�three�roads�(leading�to�Chiapas).�Chiapas�is�bled� through�thousands�of�veins:�through�oil�ducts�and�gas�ducts,�over�electric�wires,�by� railroad�cars,�through�bank�accounts,�by�trucks�and�vans,�by�ships�and�planes...And� what�tribute�does�this�land�continue�to�pay�to�various�empires?�Oil,�electric�energy,� cattle,�money,�bananas,�honey,�corn,�cocoa,�tobacco,�sugar,�soy...and�Chiapan�blood� flows�out�through�a�thousand�and�one�fangs�sunk�into�the�neck�of�southeastern� Mexico."

Guerilla�Legacies � Only�successes�were�Cuba�1959�&�Nicaragua�1979;�Central�American�wars�

were�particularly�bloody�due�to�brutal�counterͲinsurgency;�but�negotiated� peace�in�1990s�in�El�Salvador�&�Guatemala

� Factors�of�guerilla�failure�– state�and�army�have�more�resources,� disjuncture�between�military�and�political�work�(the�real�battle�comes�when� you�take�power),�role�of�US�(supporting�counterͲrevolutionary�groups,� military�governments)

� Post�Cold�War�climate�– no�Soviet�support�for�far�left�groups,�but�US�has� become�more�tolerant

� The�Left�in�Power�ͲͲ Switch�in�left’s�perception�of�democratic�structures� after�failure�of�guerilla�movements�and�barbarity�of�military�rule�– formal� democracy�and�rule�of�law�not�so�bad

� The�“New�Left”�ideology�is�not�revolutionary;�rather�it�combines�social� justice�with�economic�liberalism�and�adherence�to�geopolitical�‘rules�of�the� game’

Democracy? � Lasting�Democracy?�Power�exchange�through�electoral�politics�hailed�by�

some�as�evidence�of�lasting�transition�to��democracy�in�the�region�– regular� elections,�peaceful�handovers,�absence�of�military�coups � Skeptics�point�to…�public�opinion�(in�2004,�48%�prefer�order�to�liberty),�

authoritarian�style�of�leaders�&�fragile�party�political�system,�lack�of� true�citizenship�(inequality,�social�instability)�– poor�sometimes�see� “rule�of�law”�as�something�rich�use�to�oppress�them

� Depoliticization:�Have�Latin�American�populations�become�depoliticized? � Reasons�for�this�argument…�lasting�effects�of�the�antiͲpolitics�of�

military�governments,�the�way�in�which�military�stepped�down�(often� not�brought�to�justice),�political�fatigue�– from�the�military�regimes�and� wars,�the�Left�has�moved�center

� Consumerism�as�Democracy:�Some�have�argued�that�the�“citizen”�has�been� recast�as�“consumer”�in�the�neoliberal�era

Political�Geography Part�5:�Rise�of�Civil�Society

New�Social�Movements

� Roots�of�New�Social�Movements�(NSMs)�– political�repression�by�military�governments� gave�rise�to�many�NSMs�(Mothers�in� Argentina,�feminism,�students,�radical� Catholic�Church);�harsh�economic�conditions� under�neoliberal�economic�restructuring�fed� the�growth�in�numbers�of�NSMs�(Lima’s�soup� kitchens,�Cochabamba�Water�War�in�Bolivia)

� Social�movements�– broadͲbased�coalitions�of�the�powerless�who�demand� access�to�a�political�system�that�often�excludes�them;�characterized�by…� pushing�forward�real�social�change,�proͲactively�working�to�expand�rights,�have� been�agents�of�political�dynamism�in�recent�years�(decades)

� Diverse�Sources�– progressive�Catholic�Church,�urban�poor,�women,� indigenous,�environmentalists,�human�rights�organizations,�unions,�peasant� associations

� Commonalities�among�groups�– based�on�a�locality�(geographic�base,�rather� than�ideological�position);�organize�around�specific,�immediate�demands;�have� a�high�degree�of�internal�democracy;�demand�improvements�from�the�state

Geographies�of�NSMs � Geographic�identities�of�civil�society�and�NSMs�– CONTEXT:�affiliation,�

historical,�geographical�context�constructs�the�motivation�for�political�action � Geography�and�positionality�– Rural�(Indigenous�rights,�environmental�groups);�

Urban�(environmental�groups,�squatter�rights);�Public/Private�(Mothers,�gay� rights)�– local�but�in�context�of�broader�structural�processes�that�function�at� multiple�scales�(Water�War�was�local�but�in�the�context�of�globalization�issues)

� Geographical�Tactics�– Engaging�power�relations�through�spatial�transgression� (Mothers�enter�public�space�– the�domain�of�the�military�government);�Always� shaped�by�economic/political/cultural�context

NonͲGovernmental�Organizations � NonͲgovernmental�organizations�(NGOs)�– numbers�have�exploded�since�the�

1980s,�helped�along�by�restructuring�hardships�and�the�rolling�back�of�the� state�(no�longer�provided�services�due�to�shrinking�budgets);�often� positioned�between�civil�society�(grassroots)�and�national�and�international� funding

� Why�NGOs?��Some�argue�that…�they�are�more�efficient�than�the�state,�they� are�better�at�service�provision,�they�have�the�ability�to�secure�funds�better� than�other�types�of�organizations,�they�fill�the�new�need�for�social�provision� (formerly�functions�of�state)

� However,�there�are�a�number�of�critiques�regarding�the�increasing�role�of� NGOs…�they�are�not�accountable�to�civil�society,�they�are�(overly)� accountable�to�donors,�they�pursue�service�provision�over�political� mobilization,�they�have�increasingly�technocratic�procedures�(serving� clients) � But states�are�not�doing�it�– not�providing�for�citizens�– so�NGOs�are�

filling�an�important�need

Transnational�Civil�Society � Transnationalism�– ties�of�nonͲstate�actors�across�national�borders;�social�

movement�networks�have�crossed�national�frontiers,�NorthͲSouth�divide,� and�divisions�between�social�actors

� Two�ideas�related�to�the�concept�of�transnationalism � MultiͲlayered�citizenship�– a�multiͲlayered�construct,�in�which�one's�

citizenship�in�collectivities�in�the�different�layers�Ͳ local,�ethnic,� national,�state,�crossͲ or�transͲstate�and�supraͲstate�Ͳ is�affected�and� often�at�least�partly�constructed�by�the�relationships�and�positionings� of�each�layer�in�specific�historical�context � International�law,�nationͲstate,�collective�territories/local� governments�all�influence�civil�actors�and�actions

� Umbrella�organizations�– many�groups�coming�together�to�petition� the�state�for�something