A Quiet Revolution

"Latin America doesn't matter...People don't give a damn about Latin America"

This was the advice given to Donald Rumsfeld by Richard Nixon back in the days of the Cold War. Strange he would say such a thing, given how his own administration would find it necessary to support the ousting of a democratically elected government just because it was little too left of centre, i.e. the coup against Allende in 1973 Chile.

But this is besides the point as this quote is how Francis Fukuyama chooses to highlight how Latin American affairs has always taken a back seat with regard to other more geo-stragetically important areas, e.g. Middle East, China, Russia, in his review article "A Quiet Revolution" on Michal Reid's "Forgotten Continent: The Battle for Latin America's Soul". Supposedly, as the title of his book suggests, Latin America is a forgotten continent, both in terms of the current US administration's willingness to engage productively with the region and in terms of the space dedicated to Latin America affairs in the mainstream media. Yes the antics of Chavez (and my blog is unfortunately no exception) may capture our attention, and as Fukayama correctly points to "more ink has been spilled on Chavez over the past few years than on the entire rest of the region combined. So whilst mainstream media is quick to highlight the latest violent street protest in Bolivia or latest political gaffe by Chavev, it has become more or less oblivious to the so-called "Quiet Revolution". A revolution of unheralded progress that is seemingly bringing renewed hope to this "forgotten continent". Progress as far as Reid is concerned with a steady deepening of democratic norms, sustained economic growth and reduction in poverty. But perhaps we should also add in my opinion an increasing independce from Washington, its political and financial institutions and actual belief and willingness to etch out for itself its own path in the world. A world that not so long ago, as far as everyone in Latin America was concerned was dominated by the hegemonic neo-liberal ideology and all its trimmings. Some call this the era of the 'post-Washington Consensus' and talk of the 'new-Left Movement' in Latin America

Fukuyama may well have borrowed the title of his article from Duncan Green's now almost seminal anti-neoliberal book, "The Silent Revolution". So can we hope that in contrast to the 'silent revolution' of neoliberalism, which brought increased pains upon the continents that this 'quiet revolution' will bring with it rekindling of hope in Latin America. I don't know... Despite statistics proving positive or negative trends in Latin America (and it's easy to find convincing data for either us optimists or pessimists), or the upbeat or scathing rhetoric played out in journals and academic circles I'm still dubious as to whether Latin America will ever be able to lift itself up to the standards of living that it deserves. But that's a problematique for you Dependency theorists...