Week 8: Signs of Crisis in a Gilded Age

Signs of Crisis in a Gilded Age is certainly a thought provoking chapter; it is highly significant for the coming decades in the international political stage. Here we start seeing the fractures of society on the left and right of the political spectrum, with what are essentially fascists (Liga Patriótica Argentina) and socialists/communists (José Carlos). As we know these divides in Latin America will play a large part in the way the region is percieved and intereracted with by the great powers. It is also a chapter that highlights "Our America" which the author José Martí, warns about interactions with the great powers and the alleged U.S. involvement in Latin American countries.

The chapter does make one question the validity of democracy and liberal values, when approached with the (temporary) success of Porfirio Diaz's regime. It is understandable how autocratic measures were needed to ensure development, with the example of "In Mexico, almost every mile of railway construction was accompanied by some minor conflict." Modern semi-dictatorships such as China and Singapore further show that maybe Diaz was onto something, that perhaps it is difficult to develop in a liberal democratic framework.

However the juxtaposition to what Porfirio Diaz had previously asserted in the preceding chapter is also an interesting aspect of this chapter, the fact that he gave the impression that he was committed to the democratic ideal but most of what he said was just pandering and not reflective of what he truly believed. Similar to politicians in the modern era, and likely throughout human history. The way that the Mexican revolution played out was also mentioned in this chapter. With the Constituitonalists eventually gaining power. It was interesting for me to read about where most of the power lies in terms of revolutions, with the urban middle class apparently having much of the power.