Blog Five

Jacob Smithson

Professor Soland

WH 130

14 November 2019

Latin America and Populism during and after World War II

Prior to World War I and World War II, the Great Depression had hit the significant majority of the world as it was a result of the global economic market collapsing. It is partially because of this major change in world economics that tensions were high among many nations but is a direct result of Import Substitution Industrialization. Import Substitution Industrialization is where a country that used to rely on imports from another nation could no longer import certain items and was therefore put into a position where the only option was to produce their own goods that could no longer be imported. Latin American countries that this had a positive impact on include Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. Due to the large populations of countries such as Brazil, Mexico, and Argentina, the idea of Import Substitution was a great prospect as it eventually led to these nations rethinking their whole import-export system as a way of functioning economically. In contrast however, countries with smaller populations such as Ecuador, Bolivia, Nicaragua, Honduras, Paraguay, and the Dominican Republic did not thrive under this new economic system as they were unable to produce the goods they needed at the same level as their Latin American neighbors. The idea of Import Substitution Industrialization not prospering in these countries eventually helped to strengthen the idea of populism wherein those running for government office would support the average person who felt as though they were ignored by the elite within the government. This becomes important during and after World War II due to the political environment created by the war and the after that resulted. 

Specifically, during the 1920’s and 30’s, world governments began experimenting with different “nationalistic” policies. Mexico was no exception to this new way of world politics as the region began to form (once again) their own distinct national identity. World War II affected Mexico in a positive way as they initially joined the allies for the war and supported their position through the use of media, film, and radio which helped contribute to the unification of the Mexican population and allowed the use of a propaganda campaign that, “Incorporated economic production, political democracy, and national identity to varying degrees” (cite this). One way in specific that World War II helped Mexico was through trade with the US where the Office of Inter-American Affairs assisted with both sides’ economies. Additionally, during World War II, the United States hope to gain a good trade partner for the duration of and future after the war but German agents throughout Mexico and German propaganda created divisions between the population in conjunction with the US presence and propaganda within the region. 

All of the events that occurred economically and politically eventually resulted in populism spreading throughout the entirety of Latin America which caused confusion among American government after the war as populism was seen as closely related to communism by the American public due to its similar opinions on the work forces and common people throughout the nations. Specifically, Victor Raul Hoya de la Torre from Peru, Jose Maria Velasco Ibarra from Ecuador, Jorge Eliecer Gaitan from Columbia, Lazaro Cardenas from Mexico, Getulio Vargas from Brazil, and Evita and Juan Peron within Argentina were Latin American leaders that based their campaigns on the principles of populism and were seen as the beginning of a communist threat to those within the United States, furthering tensions between Latin America and the United States after the war.

Works Cited

Rankin, Monica A. ¡México, La Patria!: Propaganda and Production during World War II. University of Nebraska Press, 2010.