1. What role did the military play in shaping the economy of Brazil?

In 1964 it started a coup and took control of the government. When in power they focused on economic
growth and started development projects in the amazon. They froze wages and cut social programs

2. What were some of the positive benefits of one-party rule in Mexico?

In the beginning the presidents brought land reforms promoted labor rights and created state run oil
Industry.

3. What effect did the Falklands war have on the military government in Argentina?

The ruling generals decided to step down out of disgrace because they lost.

4. Review the chart of Population Living in Poverty

[a] In which three countries of Latin America is the percentage of people living in poverty the lowest?

Uruguay Chile and Argentina

[b] In which three countries i the poverty rate highest?

Bolivia, Ecuador and Colombia

5. After reading this excerpt, in your opinion, has the military dictatorships in L.A. nations been bad or
good for the nations' growth? Explain your answer in two paragraphs [minimum].

The military dictatorships were bad and good for the economic growth of Latin American countries. In
Brazil the national debt and inflation soared from the project of Brasilia. In Mexico there were little land
and jobs forcing people to struggle for survival and there was a huge foreign debt that the government

had to pay. In Argentina it is currently dealing with a 24 % unemployment rate and defaulted 132 billion
dollars as a result from the dictatorship.

However despite economic problems in some ways the economy was helped under the military
dictatorships. For instance In Brazil the country became modernized and the economy boomed as a
result of huge development projects in the amazon. In Mexico the economy also developed rapidly and
the oil industry became nationalized, becoming run by the state.

While reading, define/explain each term or name below and write a sentence regarding its significance
to the topic:
a. Brasilia- new capital city in the interior of Brazil
b. Land reform-breaking up large estates and distributing it to peasants
c. Standard of living-level of material comfort
d. Recession- slowdown in economy
e. PRI- institutional revolutionary party, the main political party of Mexico
F. NAFTA- north Atlantic free trade agreement, removed trade barriers between Mexico, United
States and Canada
g. Nationalization of an industry- making an industry state run
h. Welfare state-a system whereby the government undertakes to protect the health and well-being
of its citizens