In spite of the proclaimed independence of Latin American countries, they cannot be discussed as equal in their economic development to their former masters during the era of colonization. According to the author, different variants of subjugation and violence, including slavery, exploitation, rape, and killings, are typical of the history of this region (Galeano, 1997). In other chapters of the book, the author provides a more detailed economic analysis of the situation in modern Latin America with reference to historical implications. Latin American countries could provide many valuable resources, including metals, soil, and crops, and this aspect stimulated further violence and pillage in the region.
Thus, when plantations in the Latin American lands developed, they were “subordinated to foreign needs and often financed from abroad” (Galeano, 1997, p. The cultivation of sugar and cocoa among other crops led to the prosperity of invaders, the growth of class domination, and the intensification of repression in the region. In the next chapter, the details of colonization are described with reference to the cultivation of sugar and other crops that contributed to the development of slavery and trade relations in the region. Columbus is identified as the main character in this chapter because his activities contributed to starting colonization in the region that was supported by violence against the natives. Thus, in the first chapter, the aspects of the early colonization and the rush for gold and silver in this region are described with a focus on the role of Christopher Columbus in these events. The problem is that, for many centuries, invaders exploited the Latin American resources and brought them to the centers of power in the world: Europe and the United States. According to Galeano (1997), for the other world, “America is just the United States the region we inhabit is a sub-America, a second-class America of nebulous identity” (p. In the introduction to the book, the author explains his main idea and vision regarding the history of Latin American countries.
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