POL 100 Exam #2-- 100 points—Due March 28, 2018 at 11:59PM From The Economist: (5 points each—15 points total) 1) Issue Feb. 17, 2018 Discuss the reasons that The Democratic Republic of Congo might be heading into a renewed civil war. What were the results of the war there from 1998-2003? What countries were involved and how many causalities were from the war? In the article Paul Collier stated that the Congo has three of the four factors that led to conflict. What are they? (5 points) 2) Issue Feb. 24, 2018 In class we discussed the latest news from the Civil War in Syria. From the Feb. 24 issue of The Economist write a paragraph reviewing the article “Syria’s Civil War: Hotting up again.” How has the demise of ISIS in Syria changed the strategy of President Bashir Assad? How does the author suggest that this new strategy will impact the countries involved in Syrian conflict? (5 points) From class discussion: (5 points) 1) In class we discussed the decision by the Trump administration to implement tariffs on steel and aluminum. The main reason that prompted this action was the trade deficit. In the two short You Tube videos discussed in class “Is the US Trade Deficit a Problem” and “The trade deficit: Does it really matter” answer the following questions. What is a trade deficit? What is a tariff? What impact does the trade deficit have on the US economy? (5 points) From the videos and class discussion (5 points each—25 points total) 1) Write a paragraph about each of the following State Department designated terrorist groups: Please watch the video after each group on YouTube. a) Irish Republican Army (IRA)—video—What is the Irish Republican Army (IRA) b) LTTE (Tamil Tigers)—video—History of the war in Sri Lanka (BBC) c) ETA (Basque Fatherland and Liberty)—video—Who are ETA?- Truthloader d) Hamas —video—what is Hamas and why are they at war with Israel? e) Hezbollah—video—what is Hezbollah and what do they want in Israel? From Political Theories (10 points total) 1) According to the video, posted on the module, what are the similarities and differences between communism and socialism? (5 points) 2) According to the video, posted on the module, what are the main points of the political ideology termed anarchy? (5 points) From “The Americas” PowerPoint and YouTube videos: (25 points total) 1) List the challenges that the United States and the Trump administration have to deal with in the next four years. (5 points) 2) What are the reasons that some argue are essential for building the Keystone XL pipeline? Why are some opposed to this? (5 points) 3) Describe NAFTA. What was its purpose when it first come together in 1994? (5 points) 4) Who are the biggest political parties in Mexico? Who is the president of Mexico today and when is the next presidential election in Mexico? Describe the relationship between the Trump administration and Mexico and Trump’s position on building a wall on the border? (5 points) 5) From the videos “Has the nature of Canada –U.S. relations changed” and “What is the future of US-Canada relations” what are the main challenges and issues of Canada and their relations with the United States during the Trump administration? (5 points) 6) From The PowerPoint and the “Geopolitical Analysis 2017: South America” describe the following countries: (5 points each—25 points total) a) Peru b) Bolivia c) Colombia d) Venezuela e) Brazil Geopolitics “The Geography of International Relations” North and Middle America • The United States • “The United States and the North and Middle American geopolitical region within it is located will be discussed first. As the world’s leading military and economic great power, the United States is uniquely suited to leading the maritime realm because of its central location within that realm. The United States is the only major power that fronts on the world’s two great oceans– the Atlantic and the Pacific.” (Cohen, 2015, p. 95) United States • The United States has entered its postindustrial age at a time of considerable geopolitical upheaval. The challenges of the United States in the 2nd decade of the 21st century includes: • 1) waning US influence in the Middle east • 2) the military assertiveness of China in the East and South China Seas • 3) the competition between Russia and the European Union over Ukraine • 4) domestic economic strain • 5) political dysfunction and demographic change United States • “The economy is entering the era of deindustrialization as manufacturing shifts to services. Manufacturing now accounts for only 12 percent of the US economy…. Services represent 70 percent of the economy and government another 18 percent. Millions of wellpaid union factory jobs have been lost, as cheaper imported goods have flooded the country, to be replaced by lower-paid health service, retail, restaurant, and entertainment work.” (Cohen, 2015, p.95) United States • Geopolitical Features • 1) Historic Core– “Most scholars, accord Philadelphia the status of the historic core around which the United States was organized…. Whether the honor goes to Massachusetts or Pennsylvania, the birthplace of the revolutionary American state was in the northeastern and middle colonies, not the plantation south. It was among the small merchants and farmers of the colonies that lay along the northeast coast that the unique American state ideas were formulated– freedom, individual liberty, religious tolerance, and egalitarianism.” (Cohen, 2015, p. 98) United States • Political Capital • Washington, the federal capital, was chosen because it would serve as “neutral ground” between the northern and southern states. The capital was laid out in 1790, first occupied by Congress a decade later, and became coincident with the district of Columbia in 1878. United States • Ecumenes • At the close of World War II, the US ecumene extended along the Atlantic Seaboard from southern New England to Washington, DC, and westward across New York State and Pennsylvania in two prongs– along the Great Lakes to Detroit and then Chicago, and from Pittsburgh across the southern parts of Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois to St. Louis. • The second ecumene is southern and central California. It extends from San Diego to Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. The region connects to Silicon Valley, and then to San Francisco-Oakland. United States • Effective National Territory • Approximately two-thirds of the country that is not taken up with its ecumenes is ENT. Within the ENT, Texas and the lower Mississippi valley, much of the pacific Northwest, and the western Midwest and eastern Great Plains are capable of absorbing substantial population growth, as their large cities and isolated industrial centers expand into the vast farmland acreage of rural America. • The ENT also includes the dry western high Great Plains, which extend from the one hundredth meridian to the Rockies. United States • A revolutionary impact upon the Great Plains’ economy has been oil production boom experienced in the fifteen-thousand –square mile Bakken rock formation. This is centered on North Dakota and extends westward into eastern Montana and northward into Saskatchewan and Alberta. In a matter of a few years, North Dakota has become the second largest oil-producing state within the United States. • The Bakken output, combined with reduced oil demand led to a drop in the county’s oil imports from 60% of the country’s needs to slightly over one-third in 2013. • The carbon-rich Canadian tar sands oil basin represents a major source of petroleum for the United States. United States • The Keystone XL pipeline has been proposed in order to transport the oil to the United States. Current plans call for the 1700-mile line to carry 830,000 barrels per day with the intention of eventually doubling its capacity. • The building of Keystone has triggered considerable controversy in the United States. • 1) Environmentalists argue that its development would sharply accelerate the emission of carbon dioxide from the burning the tar sands as part of the production process. • 2) Environmentalists fear that this would have negative climate consequences United States • Proponents contend that the line will increase US and North American energy security and that the environmental impact would be minimal. • Empty Areas • Another major feature for the United States is its empty areas. Within the “lower forty-eight” states, the empty areas covers approximately one million square miles from the Rocky Mountains to the sierra Nevada and the Cascades, embracing mountains and deserts to the west. This empty area plays an important role in the defense strategy and economy of the nation. United States • International Boundaries and External Territories • 1) Canadian border • 2) Alaska- Canadian border • 3) Border with Mexico • a) Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo • b) Gadsden Purchase 1853 United States • “The US-Mexico border has become a major focus of tension between the two countries centering on the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs from Mexico and through Mexico from Central America into the United States. Efforts to control this penetration include border controls, cameras, and other security measures. A security fence is being built along a portion of the boundary, parts of which are walls that cut through border twin cities.” (Cohen, 2015, p.105) United States • The Four Stages of US Geopolitical Development • 1) The Maritime Stage– prevailed from colonial times through the Revolutionary War and the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 • 2) The Continental Stage– Highlights of the continental stage were the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, the Lewis and Clark expedition of 18031806, and the War of 1812. For nearly a century– until the SpanishAmerican War– the focus was on conquest of the continental interior, to expand the nation’s border from “sea to shining sea.” • 3) The Continental-Maritime Stage– began with the Spanish-American War and ended in the decades between World War I and II. United States • The Continental-Maritime Stage • a) Spanish-American War 1898 • b) Building of the Panama Canal 1903-1914 • c) Intervention in the Caribbean (1915-1934) • d) World War I– 1914-1918 • e) The Depression Years • 4) The Maritime-Continental Stage– began with the outbreak of World War II Canada • Historic Core-- For French Canadians, Old Quebec, the lower part of Quebec City, is their historic core. The location of the historic core for English Canada is more ambiguous. For some it is the Plains of Abraham where English General James Wolfe defeated the French, under the command of General Louis Montcalm, giving birth to English supremacy in Canada. To others it was the flight to Canada of American loyalists during and at the end of the Revolutionary War. • Political Capital– Ottawa, Canada’s federal capital, owes its status to the Constitution Act of 1867, neutral ground between French and English Canada. Canada • Ecumenes– Canada’s ecumenes are extensions of core portions of the major US ecumene. The main Canadian ecumene, which lies within the Province of Ontario with a population of over 12 million, runs from the northern shores of Lake Ontario westward along the shores of Lake Erie, via Hamilton and London, to Windsor. In addition to the major southern Ontario ecumene, Canada has two secondary population and economic core areas– Greater Montreal and Vancouver-Victoria. • Effective National Territory– Canada is the world’s third largest country in territory, a large proportion is empty area. That leaves a relatively small proportion of the territory classified as effective national territory Canadian Election • The 2015 Canadian federal election will be held on October 19, 2015 to elect members to the House of Commons of the 42nd Parliament of Canada. • The three largest parties and their Leader are: Canadian Election • The three largest parties and their leaders are: • 1) Conservative-- Steven Harper • 2) New Democratic– Tom Mulcair • 3) Liberal – Justin Trudeau • Results of the election: • The Liberal Party won 184 seats, allowing it to form a majority government, allowing Trudeau to become Prime Minister. The Conservative Party won 99 seats, becoming the Official Opposition after nine years on the government benches. CANADA • The New Democratic Party won 44 seats, becoming the third- largest party. • Minor parties won 11 seats: The Bloc Quebecois won 10 seats and the Green Party one seat. • The Liberal Party’s increase of 148 seats from the previous election was the largest-ever numerical increase by a party in a Canadian election. • After the election Harper resigned as leader of the Conservative Party. The party chose Rona Ambrose as interim leader. The Conservative leadership election will be held on May 27, 2017. NAFTA • The North American Free Trade agreement is an agreement signed by Canada, Mexico, and the United States, creating a trilateral rules-based trade bloc in North America. The agreement came into force on January 1, 1994. • The goal of NAFTA was to eliminate barriers to trade and investment between the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. The implementation of NAFTA on January 1, 1994 brought the immediate elimination of tariffs on more than one-half of Mexico’s exports to the U.S., and more than one-third of U.S. exports to Mexico. Within 10-15 years after implementation, all U.S. – Mexico tariffs were to be eliminated except for U.S. agricultural exports to Mexico. NAFTA was strengthened by an agreement in 2010 whereby all nontariff barriers to agricultural trade were eliminated. Mexico • Capital and Historic Core– In the first stages of the postwar period, US attention was focused on the Mexico City national; political core and the Bay of Campeche, which contains the country’s major oil and gas producing areas and rich reserves. The capital is located in the high valley and former lake bed that is the site of Mexico’s historic core. • Ecumene– The nation’s ecumene – the area containing the highest densities of population and economic activities– has formed around Mexico City. In addition to the Federal District, the ecumene contains the surrounding states of Mexico, Puebla, Morelos, and Tlaxcala and extends out to the Gulf Coast at Veracrux. Mexico • Effective National Territory • 1) “The concept of a “free zone” dotted with maquiladoras originated with Mexico’s Border Industrialization Act of 1965. However, it was NAFTA’s establishment three decades later which stimulated the explosive growth of the maquiladoras that has been so instrumental in expanding Mexico’s ENT to the U.S. border.” (Cohen, 2015, p. 142) • Empty Areas– Mexico has a number of empty areas that are either too mountainous or too dry to support populations. The most extensive ones are in the northwest and far south. Mexico • Geopolitical Forces of Attraction • 1) Trade ties with the United States have deepened with Mexico’s industrial diversification. Most of the petroleum that is exported goes to the United States. In level of trade, Mexico is topped only by the EU, Canada, and Japan as a leading trading partner with the United States. • 2) Three other important geopolitical forces of attraction between the two countries are tourism, immigration, and drugs. Mexico’s Political Parties • Mexico has a multi-party system, which means that there are more than three dominant political parties. • Nationally, there are three large political parties that dominate: The PRI, the PAN, and the PRD. Other smaller parties survive in isolation or by forming local coalitions with any of the big three. • As of 2011, Mexico has seven nationally recognized political parties by the Federal Electoral Institute. The parties are listed in order in which they were first registered. Mexico’s Political Parties • National Action Party (PAN) a right of center party, member of Christian Democracy • Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI). The dominant party at the municipal, state, and national levels for most of the 20th century. A part of Socialist International, it is now considered as a centrist party, with prominent members leaning from both left and right, and supports a policy of mixed economy and nationalized industries. This is the political party of incumbent President Pena Nieto. • Party of the Democratic Revolution (PRD). A left of center party. It has long controlled the Federal District. Mexico’s Political Parties • Labor Party (PT) a political party formed in 1990. It is often allied with PRD for electoral purposes. • Ecological Green Party of Mexico (PVEM). A minor party with an environmental platform. • Citizens’ Movement (MC). Formed in 1997. • New Alliance (PANAL). Members of the National Educational Workers Union formed in 2005. • National Regeneration Movement. A left-wing nationalist party. • Humanist Party, Formed in 2014 • Social Encounter Party. A centrist party formed in 2006. Heads of Governments • North America • 1) United States • President Barack Obama, (2009- present) • 2) Canada • Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, (2015- present) • 3) Mexico • President Enrique Pena Nieto (2012- present) Middle America • Countries • 1) The four largest countries to the south of Mexico are Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Nicaragua. • Guatemala • 1) Guatemala is a country of three parts. First, in the uplands northwest of Guatemala City, the largest Central American concentration of Native American peoples lives in subsistence conditions, often landless and in extreme poverty. Second, people in the southern part of the country adopted a more European lifestyle. Third, the lowland area of the north is forested and less populated. Middle America • El Salvador • El Salvador has the densest population in the sub-region. Most of the people are concentrated in the western highlands, where the dominant crop, coffee, is grown. Light manufacturing industries were established in the 1960s. Civil War over land distribution since the 1980s disrupted both rural and urban economies. Thousands of Salvadorans fled the country during the civil war and took up residence in the united States. Middle America • Honduras • Honduras is one of the most materially poor countries in the Western Hemisphere. The ranching economy established in colonial times persists in parts if the west, and large banana and pineapple plantations dominate the Ulua River valley and the northern coastal plane. Coffee became a primary export in the 1960s. • Tourism is a growing industry, attracting over 500,000 visitors a year, centered on the Maya ruins in Copan, nature tourism mountain hikes and river rafting. Middle America • Nicaragua • Nicaragua developed a mixture of agriculture and modern manufacturing industries. Coffee, cotton, bananas, and sugarcane are important export crops. The population is concentrated around the lakes of Nicaragua and Managua in the structural depression that is subject to earthquakes. • Decades of oppression under the Somoza family dictatorship instigated revolutionaries to overthrow Somoza control. The Marxist oriented Sandinistas took control in 1979 and controlled the country, under President Daniel Ortega, till 1990. A United Sates backed group, the Contras, won election in 1990 and held power till 2006 when Daniel Ortega was reelected president of Nicaragua. Middle America • Belize, Costa Rica, and Panama have the smallest populations of the Central American countries. Belize is by far the smallest country in the region, having only 300,000 citizens. The country became independent in 1981 after a long period of British colonial rule. • Costa Rica is the only country in the region that has a long-term democratic government. As a stable democracy, Costa Rica attracted manufacturing and free-trade zones financed by U.S. and Taiwanese corporations. Heads of Government • Middle America • 1) El Salvador • President Salvador Sanchez Ceren (2014- present) • 2) Guatemala • Acting President Alejandro Maldonado (2015-present) • Replaced President Otto Perez Molina (2012-2015) • Presidential election– first round– September 6,2015 • Second Round– October 25, 2015 • Final Candidates– Jimmy Morales v. Sandra Torres • Result: Morales 68 % Torres 32% Heads of Government • • • • • • • • • • 3) Honduras President Juan Orlando Hernandez (2014- present) 4) Nicaragua President Daniel Ortega (2007- present) 5) Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow 6) Costa Rica President Luis Guillermo Solis 7) Panama President Juan Carlos Varela Caribbean Basin • The Caribbean Basin consists of a few large islands, several small islands, and three political units on the South American mainland. The political geography of the Caribbean is one of the most diverse of any sub-region. • In 2015, 35-40 million people lived in the Caribbean Basin. The majority live on one of the four largest islands, known as the Greater Antilles: Cuba, Hispaniola (consisting of two countries: Haiti and the Dominican Republic), Puerto Rico, and Jamaica • The smaller Caribbean islands are commonly referred to as the Lesser Antilles. The Lesser Antilles chain is an arc of small islands around the eastern edge of the Caribbean Sea, with the Leeward group in the north and the Windward group in the South. Caribbean Basin • Puerto Rico • Puerto Rico is not an independent country, nor is it a state within the U.S. political system. In 1952 Puerto Rico became formally structured with the establishment of commonwealth status. • Dominican Republic • The Dominican Republic, comprising the eastern two-thirds of the island of Hispaniola, became independent in 1821 and subsequently suffered from economic stagnation and political instability. Agriculture remains the dominant economic activity, based on sugar, while the Standard Fruit Company operates large banana plantations and Dole Corporation administers pineapple plantations. Caribbean Basin • Haiti • Haiti, occupying the smaller western part of the island of Hispaniola, is the poorest country in the Americas. Life expectancy is low, infant mortality high, and 50 percent of its adults are illiterate. Over threefourths of the people are crowded onto poor-quality lands resulting from as in balanced division of land resource holdings. Independence in 1804 was followed by the political instability that continues today. • Jamaica • Jamaica gained historic significance as the largest British colony in the Caribbean Basin. Caribbean Basin • Cuba • When Fidel Castro led a Communist takeover in 1959, ties with the United States and U.S. companies were severed, and dependence shifted to the former Soviet bloc countries. Large state farms and cooperative farms diversified to produce citrus fruit for eastern Europe, overall productivity remained low. Cuba exported sugar, tobacco (cigars), and some strategic minerals top the Soviet bloc in exchange for oil, wheat, fertilizer, and equipment. Cuba suffered as much as other Communist countries from the breakup of the Soviet bloc. Caribbean Basin– Lesser Antilles • Trinidad and Tobago • Trinidad and Tobago has the largest area and population in the Lesser Antilles. Trinidad and Tobago has an oil-based economy. A unique ethnic mixture in the local population includes many who tie their heritage to South Asia. • Martinique, Guadeloupe, and French Guiana are political subdivisions of the country of France, known as “overseas departments.” Their residents are French citizens and members of the European Union. Caribbean Basin– Lesser Antilles • Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao. These former Netherlands colonies, off the northern coast of Venezuela are low-lying and arid, obtaining their water supplies from desalination plants. They remain administratively linked to the Netherlands today. • Guyana, Suriname, and French Guiana. All have small populations on relatively large areas of land. Guyana and Suriname export bauxite from inland mines, while French Guiana exports timber to the EU. The reopening of gold mines by Canadian companies in Guyana caused exports to quadruple in the 1990s. Greater Antilles– Political Leaders • Cuba • President Raul Castro (2008- present) • Dominican Republic • President Danilo Medina • Haiti • Prime Minister Evans Paul (2015- present) • Jamaica • Prime Minister Portia Simpson - Miller Northern Andes • The Andes Mountains are a dominant feature in all five countries of the Northern Andes sub-region consisting of Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. The world’s second highest mountain range creates a multitude of local environments at different heights throughout the sub-region. • Economically, the countries of this sub-region range from the poorest (Bolivia) to some of South America’s more materially wealthy countries. • Colombia, Peru, and Venezuela have the highest incomes in the subregion. Venezuela’s income is directly related to its dominant oil and mineral exports that continue to be in demand. Northern Andes • Early colonists in Peru established mines in the cordilleras and cultivated crops along the coast to support people and pack animals that delivered mined silver and gold to the coast. Later Peruvian export booms from the mid-1800s involved less valuable minerals, such as lead and zinc from the cordilleras, guano fertilizer from offshore islands, and sugarcane and cotton from irrigated coastal islands. Oil from the north, iron from the south, and fishmeal from what became the world’s second largest fishery added new aspects to Peru’s income from the 1950s. Northern Andes-- Peru • Peru dramatically opened its economy to external investment in the 1990s, creating a boom in mining exploration. In 1992 Peru opened Latin America’s largest gold mine. It began production at other mines by the late 1990s and continued to explore opportunities. • Peru is among the world’s largest producers of cocaine. Northern Andes-- Bolivia • Bolivia is a landlocked country located in western-central South America. Although only one-third of the country is located in the Andean mountain range, its largest city and principal economic centers are in the Altipiano. • Before Spanish colonization, the Andean region of Bolivia was a part of the Inca Empire. The Spanish conquistadors arriving from Cuzco and Asuncion took control of the region in the 16th century. • After the first call for independence in 1809, 16 years of war followed before the establishment of the Republic, named for Simon Bolivar, on August 6, 1825. Bolivia • The country’s population, estimated at 10 million, is multiethnic, including Amerindians, Mestizos, Europeans, Asians, and Africans. • Modern Bolivia is constitutionally a democratic republic, divided into nine departments. It is a developing country, with a medium ranking in the Human Development Index and a poverty rate of 53 percent. Its main economic activities include agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining, and manufacturing goods such as textiles, clothing, refined metals, and refined petroleum. Bolivia is very wealthy in minerals, especially tin. Colombia • Colombia is a country situated in the northwest of South America, bordered to the NW by Panama, to the east by Venezuela and Brazil, and to the south by Ecuador and Haiti. • Colombia is a unitary, constitutional republic comprising 32 departments. • Colombia is ethnically diverse, its people descending from the original native inhabitants, Spanish colonists, Africans originally brought to the country as slaves, and 20th century immigrants from Europe and the Middle east. Venezuela • Venezuela is a federal republic located on the northern coast of South America. It is bordered by Colombia on the west, Brazil on the south, and Guyana on the east. • Venezuela is considered a state with extremely high biodiversity, with habitats ranging from the Andes Mountains to the Amazon Basin. • Since the discovery of oil in the early 20th century, Venezuela has one of the world’s largest oil reserves and has been one of the world’s leading oil exporters. Ecuador • The Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in northwestern South America. What is now Ecuador was home to a variety of indigenous groups that were gradually incorporated into the Inca Empire during the 15th century. The territory was colonized by Spain in the 16th century, achieving independence in 1820. • The legacy of both empires is reflected in Ecuador’s ethnically diverse population, with most of its 15.2 million people being mestizos, followed by large minorities of European, Amerindian, and Africans descendants. Ecuador • Ecuador has a developing economy that is highly dependent on commodities, namely petroleum and agricultural products. The country is classified as a medium-income country. • Ecuador is a democratic presidential republic. The new constitution of 2008 is the first in the world to recognize legally enforceable Rights of Nature, or ecosystem rights. • Ecuador is also known for its rich ecology, hosting many endemic plants and animals, such as those of the Galapagos Islands. Heads of Government- Northern Andes • Bolivia • President Evo Morales (2006-present) • Colombia • President Juan Manuel Santos (2010-present) • Ecuador • President Rafael Correa (2007-present) • Peru • President Ollanta Humala (2001- present) Heads of Government– Northern Andes • Venezuela • President Nicolas Maduro (2013- present) Brazil • Brazil is the largest country in both South America and the Latin American region. It is the world’s fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population. It is the largest Portuguese speaking country in the world, and the only one in the Americas. Bounded by the Atlantic Ocean on the east, Brazil has a coastline of 4,655 miles. It borders all other South American countries except Ecuador and Chile and occupies 47.3 percent of the continent of South America. • Brazil was occupied by numerous tribal nations prior to the landing in 1500 of explorer Pedro Alvares Cabral, who claimed the area for the Portuguese Empire. It remained a colony of Portugal till 1808. Brazil • Brazil’s economy is the world’s eighth-largest by nominal GDP and the seventh-largest by GDP (PPP) as of 2015. • Brazil is a regional power in Latin America and a middle power in international affairs, with some analysts identifying it as an emerging global power. • Brazil has been the largest producer of coffee for the last 150 years. • Brazil’s large territory comprises different ecosystems, such as the Amazon rainforest, recognized as having the greatest biological diversity in the world. Southern Cone • Argentina, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay form the southernmost part of South America and are sometimes called the “Southern Cone” because of their combined shape on a map. Argentina • Argentina is a federal republic located in southeastern South America. Sharing the bulk of the Southern Cone with neighbor Chile, it is bordered by Bolivia and Paraguay to the north; Brazil to the northeast; Uruguay and the South Atlantic Ocean to the east; Chile to the west and the Drake Passage to the south. • Argentina is the eighth-largest country in the world, the second largest in South America, and the largest Spanish speaking one./ • Argentina has the second largest economy in South America, the third largest in Latin America and is a member of the G-15 and G-20 major economies. Argentina is classified as a high-income economy with a “very high” rating on the Human Development Index. Chile • Chile is a South American country occupying a long, narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far south. • The arid Atacama Desert in northern Chile contains great mineral wealth, especially copper. • The relatively small central area dominates in terms of population and agricultural resources, and is the cultural and political center from which Chile expanded in the late 19th century. Chile • Southern Chile is rich in forests and grazing lands, and features a string of volcanoes and lakes. • Chile is today one of South America’s most stable and prosperous nations. It leads Latin American nations in rankings of human development, competitiveness, income per capita, globalization, state of peace, economic freedom, and low perception of corruption. It also ranks high in regionally in sustainability of the state, and democratic development. Paraguay • Paraguay is a landlocked country in central South America, bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. • Due to its central location in South America, it is sometimes referred to as Corazon de America (“Heart of America”). • Following the disastrous Paraguayan War (1864-1870), the country lost between 60 to 70 percent of its population through war and disease. • Through the 20th century, Paraguay continued to endure a succession of authoritarian governments, culminating in the regime of Alfredo Stroessner, who led a military dictatorship from 1954-1989. Uruguay • Uruguay is a country in the southeastern region of South America. It is bordered by Argentina to its west and Brazil to its north and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to the south and southeast. It is bordered by Argentina to its west and Brazil to its north and east, with the Atlantic Ocean to the south and southeast. • Uruguay is home to 3.3 million people, of which 1.8 live in the metropolitan area of its capital and largest city, Montevideo. • Uruguay is ranked first in Latin America in democracy, peace, lack of corruption, quality of living, and equally first in South America when it comes to press freedom, size of middle class, prosperity, and security. • The Economist named Uruguay “country of the year” in 2013. Heads of Governments– Brazil and Southern Cone • Brazil • President Dilma Rousseff ((2011- present) • Argentina • President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner ((2007- present) • Chile • President Michelle Bachelet ((2014- present) Heads of Governments--Southern Cone • Paraguay • President Horacio Cartes • Uruguay • President Tabare Vazquez Regional Links • MERCOSUR • Mercosur is a sub-regional bloc. Its full members are Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, and Venezuela. Its associate countries are Chile, Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador. Its purpose is to promote free trade and the fluid movement of goods, people, and currency. Established first in 1991 by the Treaty of Asuncion, it has been updated, amended, and changed many times since. It is now a full customs union and trading bloc. Glossary of Terms: Anarchism Anarchism is a political philosophy that advocates stateless societies often defined as selfgoverned voluntary institutions. Anarchism holds the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, or harmful. Federalism Federalism is the distribution of power in an organization, as a government, between a central authority and the constituent units. Marxism Marxism is a worldview and method of societal analysis that focuses on class relations and societal conflict that uses a materialistic interpretation of historical development, and a dialectical view of social transformation. Marxist methodology uses economic and sociopolitical inquiry and applies that to the analysis and critique of the development of capitalism and the role of class structure in systemic economic change. Nationalism Nationalism is a belief, creed or political ideology that involves identifying with, or becoming attached to, one’s nation. Pacifism Pacifism is the belief that any violence, including war, is unjustifiable under any circumstances, and that all disputes should be settled by peaceful means. Socialism Socialism is a social and economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production and co-operative management of the economy, as well as a political theory and movement that aims at the establishment of such a system. Political Spectrum: A political spectrum is a system of classifying different political positions upon or more geometric axes that symbolize independent political dimensions. Most long-standing spectra include a right-wing and left wing, which originally referred to seating arrangements in the French parliament after the Revolution (1789-1799). According to the simplest left-right axis, communism and socialism are usually regarded internationally as being on the left, opposite fascism and conservatism on the right. Liberalism can mean different things in different contexts, sometimes on the left (social liberalism), sometimes on the right (economic liberalism). Those with an intermediate outlook are classified as centrists or moderates. Anarchism is a political philosophy that advocates stateless societies. Anarchists believe that the state to be undesirable, unnecessary, or harmful. Communism is a socioeconomic system structured upon common ownership of the means of production and characterized by the absence of social classes, money, and the state. Socialism is a social and economic system characterized by social ownership of the means of production, as well as a political theory and movement that aims at the establishment of such a system. Liberalism is a political philosophy or worldview founded on ideas of liberty and equality. Conservatism as a political and social philosophy promotes retaining traditional social institutions in the context of the culture of Western Civilization. Monarchism is the advocacy of a monarch or monarchial rule. Nazism is the ideology and practice of the Nazis, especially the policy of racial nationalism, national expansion, and state control of the economy. Fascism is a political philosophy, movement, or regime that exalts nation and often race above the individual and that stands for a centralized autocratic government headed by a dictatorial leader, severe economic and social regimentation, and forcible suppression of opposition.
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