LAS 350 Socialism, Capitalism & Communism in Latin America International Business Program Spring 2019 Semester - Viña del Mar

Both communism and socialism are born in Europe (nineteenth century) as a response to capitalism, but it was in Latin America where both left wing movements reached an unsuspected relevance, although a century later both arose product of the strong economic existing inequality and a strong ideologization of a group of intellectuals linked, in many cases, to the elite. Though both doctrines -until approximately the second quarter of the twentieth century- rejected the democratic system and prompted the seizure of power through arms, now claim the popular vote.
However, it should be noted that:
- Left wing movements have specific characteristics according to the country in which we are.
- Mostly leftist movements that reached the power were through violence
- There are organized movements of the extreme left in Latin America, that still vindicate the armed warfare, but that moved away from its doctrinal roots to be linked today to terrorism and drug trafficking.