Blog for Week of December 2nd

The Jamaica Letter was interesting to me because a large portion of what was said in it holds true to this day. What stood out to me the most is how Bolivar acknowledged that different regions should remain separate even after independence was achieved. Bolivar didn't explicitly say this, but he heavily implied that independence from Spanish colonial rule was inevitable. Due to this, Bolivar knew it was important to prepare for the future. I thought that his mindset and thinking were extremely impressive. I'm sure that the average person in colonial Latin America at the time would have assumed Spanish rule would last forever. The Spanish had always ruled, so it would be easy for regular people to assume it would continue that way. On the other hand, Bolivar's confidence was demonstrated in the fact that he was already planning for widespread independence. This confidence in himself and Latin America is what I think made Bolivar so successful in his revolutions across South America. Similar cultures, interests, geography, and cultures needed to be not only separated from Spain but separated from each other as well. Instead of trying to piece different regions into a puzzle, it was more stable to let new nations determine which path was best for itself. I think this process of individualization amongst Latin American colonies has benefitted the organizational structure of nations today. When you look at the news, you rarely see Latin American countries involved in large-scale conflicts with each other compared to the rest of the world. This is because people like Simon Bolivar saw the importance of the distinction between different regions and people. The best way to avoid conflict is to let individual cultures maintain their own cultures without disruption. Spain lost its power over the colonies because of the cultural differences it held, and it was important to not replicate that structure again with the forming of new nations. 

Comments

  1. Médar SerrataDecember 8, 2021 at 4:27 AM

    Thank you, Ben, for your post. I like the way you describe Bolívar's vision, especially what you call the "process of individualization amongst Latin American colonies." Your discussion of this process is a demonstration of your strong critical-thinking skills. I would point out, however, that after obtaining their independence, the former European colonies of Latin America did engage in large-scale territorial conflicts. Those conflicts helped define the current national boundaries. I think we will learn about some of them next semester, in Prof. Stark's part of the class.

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