Reactionaries are an inevitable part of politics.

Respond to markos’ post in 100 words

Reactionaries are an inevitable part of politics. They are the ugly face behind the mask of the status quo but they are also incredibly easy to beat if there is a substantial economic nationalist, socialist, or populist alternative to them. After the war, South American countries were economically struggling and expected to receive more aid than say, the people that fought against the United States during the war. However, Europe had a more developed Marxist tradition and was in close proximity to communist Russia. Admittedly, Europe was in much worse condition than South America, Dresden being a striking example, but the US did not require extra competition with Latin America and instead wanted Latin countries to revert to their neocolonial form and allow the US to exploit their resources.

As is their right, Latin Americans were not interested in supporting foreigner’s economies and wanted to continue import substitution industrialization and other developmentalist, Hamiltonian policies to ensure their independence. By the 1950’s the United States was totally intolerant of anything that vaguely resembled communism and when Cuba, which was only 90 miles from US shores, underwent a revolution the United States decided to completely disregard Latin Americans’ right to self-determination and began to have the CIA overthrow legitimate democracies. It also helped that American companies had interests in avoiding expropriation. In short, the USA is completely responsible for the horrors that occurred throughout Latin America and we should be ashamed.

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