The Western
Development Model: Lessons from Guatemala and El Salvador
Spring 1997 T-TH
2:30-3:45 PM
Instructor: John Abell, Associate Professor, Department of Economics
Ph.
#s 947-8502 (w) 528-9363 (h)
Among
the important development themes that we will examine is the issue of sustainability. Are the
neo-liberal, export-oriented models of development currently in place sufficient
for the provision of land, shelter, nourishment, health, education, and basic
human rights? Are there sufficient
resources to support current models of development without further damage to the
environment? We will digress from
macro indicators of well-being such as Gross Domestic Product, unemployment
rates, literacy rates, doctors per capita, etc., to examine developmental
progress within individual communities, across various ethnic groups, and across
gender boundaries. World Bank
statistics may indicate, for example, that Guatemala has an overall literacy
rate of 55%, but we will be asking questions like, "Who really has access
to education?" "Are there differences for indigenous vs. ladinos,
or for men vs. women?" In other words, we will be concerning ourselves
with distributional issues.
We
will ask an even more dangerous question, namely, "Is the Western
development model even appropriate for the various people and communities of
this region?" This is a question we will carry with us on our travels to
the region in June. While there may
not be an easy answer to that question, the fact that the question is worth
asking suggests that we should at least consider whether or not there are
alternative models of development that might be more appropriate-those that
might be more in touch with basic human needs.
The course will entail coverage of three
major areas. 1) An examination of theoretical issues of development, followed by
country and community specific applications and case studies. 2) A historical
review of Guatemala and El Salvador, focusing on issues of land, conflicts
between indigenous peoples and ladinos,
the military's response to internal revolutions, the role of the U.S. and other
external powers in the region, and the recent resurgence of neo-liberal
policies. 3) The role of women in these societies, especially their positions in
regard to economic development and their ability to participate in society.
The role of women in development is a second important issue we will
carry with us on our travels in June.
One
of the requirements for the class is an open mind.
Critical examinations of the region are often hard to come by. The truth about what is going on often comes in varying
shades. Was the revolution in El
Salvador (1979-1992) communist inspired, or was there something deeper, such
issues of land and discrimination? Has
U.S. aid to El Salvador been used to build democracy there, or has it been used
by the military against the people? We
will try to find answers to such questions along the way.
We intend to examine as closely as possible all sides of the various
issues that are of concern to the region. There
is no politically correct view that is expected in this class--all opinions are
welcome. I warn you in advance that in a study of countries like these
with a long history of violence, you will encounter some very graphic accounts
of torture, atrocities, and general oppression. It is nearly impossible to avoid them-to do so would probably
lead to an over-sanitized accounting of events. As you read such stories, make sure you come away with an
understanding of why such things happen-who is it that does not want the voices
of the dead to be heard? Think of
solutions or interventions that can help prevent the reoccurrence of such things
in the future. Don't assume that
you're helpless and an insignificant player when it comes to influencing foreign
policy.
Assignments: Your grade will come from
the following areas: 1) A weekly journal. In
this you will be expected to write approximately two pages per week summarizing,
critiquing and reflecting upon the week's reading and class discussions. 2)
In-class writing assignments or small quizzes. 3) Class participation. 4) Two
medium-sized essays (approximately 5 pages, double-spaced typed) on the topic of
the relationship between the U.S. and Guatemala and the U.S. and El Salvador.*
In-class assignments
20%
Class-participation
20%
2
essays (@ 20% each)
40%
100%
· Harbury, Jennifer, Bridge
of Courage
· Menchu, Rigoberta, I
Rigoberta Menchu
· New Americas Press, eds.
A Dream Compels Us
· Cagan and Cagan, This
Promised Land El Salvador
• Barry, Tom, Inside
Guatemala (Bookstore)
• Ehlers, Tracy Bachrach, Silent
Looms: Women and Production in a Guatemalan Town
• Handy, Jim, Revolution
in the Countryside
• Schlesinger and Kinzer, Bitter
Fruit: The Untold Story of the American Coup in Guatemala
• Simon, Jean-Marie, Guatemala:
Eternal Spring - Eternal Tyranny (Bookstore)
• Armstrong and Shenk, El
Salvador: The Face of revolution
• Diaz, Nidia, I
Was never Alone: A Prisoner Diary From El Salvador
• Murray and Barry, Inside
El Salvador (Bookstore)
• Montgomery, Tommie Sue, Revolution
in El Salvador
• Thomson, Marilyn, Women
of El Salvador
• Booth and Walker, Understanding
Central America (Bookstore)
• Beazly, Mitchell, Caringfor
the Earth: A Strategy for Survival
2)**Historical
overview: a) "Guatemala," in
World Book Encyclopedia (1994),pp.412-417. b)"A Brief History of
Guatemala," Alice Jay in CGE trip manual. c)
"Guatemala: The Struggle for Land," (unpublished manuscript, 4
pages) by J. Abell. d) The
dictatorship of Brigadier General Jos6 Efrain Rios Montt, 1982-83: Ch. 3 in Guatemala:
Eternal Spring - Eternal Tyranny (19 selected pages, from pp.
108-15 1), by Jean-Marie Simon, (1987). e) Accounts of the violence from
Amnesty International and the U.S. State Department in Guatemala:
Eternal Spring - Eternal Tyranny, pp.
46, 48, 64, and 69.
3)
1944 - 1954, Revolution, Agrarian Reform and Overthrow. a) "Agrarian
Reform: 'The Most Precious Fruit of the Revolution"' (Ch. 4, pp. 77-1 10),
and "Communism and the Military" (Ch. 7, pp. 168-179) in, Revolution
in the Countryside, James Handy (I
994). b) "Operation Success" (Ch. 7), in Bitter Fruit, Schlesinger and Kinzer (1983), pp. 99-117.
Romero
Salvador
-
How would you define peace? How
would you define capitalism? Or
socialism?
-
How would you define development? What
should be the goal of development?
-
Is development necessarily good (for all different sectors in society)?
-
Does development contribute to peace?
-
Have the development paths chosen in Guatemala and El Salvador benefited women? Are they even capable?
-
How about families, children or communities?
-
In what ways are women oppressed in Central America?
-
Does the oppression differ by race or by socioeconomic class?
-
How do the needs and concerns of women in Central America differ from those of
North Americans?
-
Can North American women learn anything about their own struggles from studying
the problems of Central American women?
-
Consider the following definition of feminism from a Salvadoran woman:
"Feminism is an expression of women who take themselves seriously as people
and as human beings capable of development." (A
Dream Compels Us, p. I 1 0).
How do you react to that definition?
Is it fitting for North American women also?
-
How do you feel about the following statement from a Salvadoran woman?
"I think that when all peaceful means to demand the rights of a
people have been exhausted, and these rights continue to be denied, there is no
other alternative but to take up
arms." (A Dream..., p. 102, emphasis added).
-
In Guatemala and El Salvador, the necessity of pulling together in revolutionary
armed struggle seems to have been necessary (though not necessarily sufficient)
to break down the gender barriers that have kept women locked in traditional and
oftentimes oppressive societal and family roles.
Are such gender barriers already down in the U.S.? If not, what would it
take to remove them, short of armed revolution?
-
When you hear the name communist (or
Marxist or socialist or terrorist ... ), what images come to mind? - What
images do you think those who use such labels, especially in the realm of
foreign policy, want you to conjure up?
-
Where do you suppose the rigid anti-communist posture of the U.S. government,
most churches and the business community comes from?
Did the U.S. face a real communist threat in the 1980s? Do you feel personally threatened by Fidel Castro and Cuba?
-
Why did the U.S. support the Contra rebels
of Nicaragua fighting to overthrow the government, but offer billions of dollars
to help Guatemala and El Salvador defeat the URNG and FMLN rebel forces trying
to overthrow their respective governments?
-
What does it mean to you personally when you read a tiny little line in the
international section of the newspaper that states that the U.S. congress has
just authorized $50 million of military aid to El Salvador? (During the 1980s
the military aid to El Salvador reached over $1m/day!!) Where do you think that
money goes? What is it used for?
Do you have different feelings perhaps when you read that congress has
only approved non-lethal aid?
Where do you think that money will go?
-
Suppose that families huddled around an old radio set in the Quich6 province of
El Salvador hear the news that the U.S. has just provided 5 attack helicopters
to the government of their country. (Just 5. Cost?
Perhaps $5m. That kind of
money is lost every day in the U.S. military procurement system to graft and
corruption). How do you think this
family and others might react? How
might their lives be changed as a result?
-
How do you feel about your tax dollars being used to subsidize military
dominated governments?
-
Can you begin to appreciate the military and oligarchy's view that Christian
Base Communities and liberation theology is subversive?
Can Christians and other religions in the U.S. learn anything from
liberation theology?
-
How would you feel if, by simply attending a Catholic mass ministered in the
vernacular of your people, say Cakchiquel or Quiche, you stood a chance of being
labeled a subversive? Would you
still go to church?
-
What kind of a lifestyle change in North America might help to improve the
outlook for the masses of Central America?
What might be the connection? Is
there any kind of a change you personally would
be willing to make?