Export Boom in Latin America After 1825

With the emergence of the “order and progress” regimes in Latin America during the second half of the 19th century, also came the Great Export Boom which brought economic growth to the region that it had never seen before or since. The export boom in Latin America, to many Latin Americans mainly white liberals, was a avenue in which the model of “order and progress” could finally propel the region to a global superpower.

As aforementioned before the export boom—which lasted from the late 19th century to the early 20th century, Latin American governments had adapted a new political model which was dubbed “order and progress”. Corrêa da Serra even stated that “order is the handmaiden of progress”. To Latin American liberals, the United States, England and France were viewed as the embodiment of Progress which Latin America should aspire to.  They wanted to push Latin America to become a global power and despite being self-governed still saw old colonial masters as more civilised and progressive. To them, Latin America needed to look outward follow in order to “catch” up globally. The economic boom presented an excellent way to push this model.

How did the economic boom change Latin America economically? During this period, Latin American economies experienced rapid and sustained economic growth. In Mexico, for example, the total value of trade grew by 900 percent between1877 and 1910. Countries like Brazil , Cuba, Chile and Argentina were making enormous profits by exporting coffee, sugar, wheat and mining products. These Latin American countries were dominating the world trade markets. During this time, Brazilian coffee accounted for two thirds of coffee consumed by the world.

The economic boom appeared to beneficial to Latin America economically but what did this new economic growth mean for politically, socially and culturally to Latin American societies? This new economic dominance mainly benefitted  the elite and middle-class Latin Americans, especially those who believed in the ideas of Progress. To those in power Latin America was prospering. Soon Latin America would be able to compete with those whose model of civilisation that they followed.

Large landowners were some of the greatest beneficiaries of the export boom. The middle-class city dwellers who worked as professionals, merchants, office workers or in any job that was involved in the import/export economy strived. In Colombia for instance, many small peasants commuted to the towns and cities to sell their produces. Finally, mobility which had seemed to be so illusive to them was theirs for the taking.

Though many people emigrated to cities, they were still many who stayed in their rural communities and villages. The people who stayed were mainly poor lower class citizens or indigenous communities. These were the people whose lives were adversely affected by the export boom.

Large landowners bought large estates throughout the Latin American countryside and in doing so, displaced many of these people or forcing these peasants and indigenous communities to work on their plantations. This period marked a new colonialization which was also known as neocolonialism. The only difference was that these peasants and indigenous communities were being paid. Therefore, it was not really colonisation, was it? These workers worked on these lands cultivating coffee, sugar, mining and extracting other raw materials, and at the end of the week were paid. This was the Progress which the liberals spoke about. The poor man could now earn his wages for the work he did. But the money most of these workers early could barely support their families.