3 ms·

> The main problem wasn't US companies but rather a very backward uneducated population. The US isn't full of racists but you clearly are racist. Can't say I'm

> The main problem wasn't US companies but rather a very backward uneducated population. The US isn't full of racists but you clearly are racist. Can't say I'm surprised since I could smell it in your first comment. It may surprise you but Latin America had its share of intellectual leaders, many of which had to flee their own countries because of the brutal dictatorships propped up by the US govt. The ones who didn't were simply "disappeared". It's very convenient that you only think of United Fruit as the only beneficiary of subservient local dictatorships, it betrays a lack of knowledge about how neocolonialism (or even neoliberalism) works. Either that or you just did a quick "banana republic" google search and completely ignore that the term can be used independently of the United Fruit case. Which, again, betrays an ignorance about the whole subject.

mc32 10y ago
I understand Latin America has produced a number of intellectuals --granted, however the majority of their mestizo population during the time of united fruit etc, were not attending school past the 6th grade, if that. That's a lot of intellectual capital left on the table and contributed to weak economies. The stronger economies had some semblance of compulsory education beyond elementary school. Even today, in Mexico itself, you have indigenous people for whom Spanish is a second language and due to that suffer discrimination in their own country --and this repeats in many south American countries. You forget most of their intellectuals come from their elite families, it's not like the average person there has much of a chance in the elite circles. Pointing out the poor educational infrastructure as well as a culture which does not make it a priority is not being racist.
- rpgmaker 10y ago
  You're not just pointing out anything. You were excusing imperialism with a little bit of racism on the side. Both out of ignorance as usual.
  - mc32 10y ago
    No I'm not. You're the one ignoring the mistreatment of local populations by the minority creoles. Yes, there was what can be categorized in some sense imperialism, in some countries, but that was conflated with larger geopolitical issues of the cold war.

mc32 10y ago

I understand Latin America has produced a number of intellectuals --granted, however the majority of their mestizo population during the time of united fruit etc, were not attending school past the 6th grade, if that. That's a lot of intellectual capital left on the table and contributed to weak economies. The stronger economies had some semblance of compulsory education beyond elementary school. Even today, in Mexico itself, you have indigenous people for whom Spanish is a second language and due to that suffer discrimination in their own country --and this repeats in many south American countries. You forget most of their intellectuals come from their elite families, it's not like the average person there has much of a chance in the elite circles. Pointing out the poor educational infrastructure as well as a culture which does not make it a priority is not being racist.

rpgmaker 10y ago
You're not just pointing out anything. You were excusing imperialism with a little bit of racism on the side. Both out of ignorance as usual.
- mc32 10y ago
  No I'm not. You're the one ignoring the mistreatment of local populations by the minority creoles. Yes, there was what can be categorized in some sense imperialism, in some countries, but that was conflated with larger geopolitical issues of the cold war.