Arms And Politics In Latin America

Military conflicts and dictatorships in Latin America are the main consequences of the increasingly autonomous role of the armed forces in the region, asserts noted scholar Augusto Varas, and international factors related to the expansion of weapon industries in the North and the increasing flow of financial resources to Latin America are accelerating the arms race. Varas discusses the historical function of the armed forces in local politics, the new ideology of the "national security doctrine," and the process of conflict perception by the Latin American military. He also analyzes the inevitable relations between the arms race and the political role of the region's armed institutions. Using Chile as an example, he places these factors in context and illustrates how political crisis can escalate into a regional arms race. He then concludes with a discussion of the links between prospects for democracy in the region and demilitarization and disarmament.

In many contemporary nations, particularly in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, the armed forces play a major role in governing. Historical, economic, and sociological factors have contributed to the political prominence of the military in developing countries. Nevertheless, in the 1980s several states in Latin America restored civilian rule followi

Phillipe C. Schmitter: Introduction; Alain Rouquié: Military revolutions and national independence in Latin America.; Jerry L. Weaver:Assessing the Impact of Military Rule:Alternative approaches; Philippe C. Schmitter: Foreign military assistance, national military spending and military rule in Latin America; Geoffrey Kemp: The Prospects for Arms Control in Latin America: The Strategic dimensions; James R. Kurth: United States foreign policy and Latin American military rule.

Latin America has participated in the global surge of arms transfers, seeking moderately advanced weapons from U.S. and European suppliers. Yet it remains a lightly armed region compared to the world at large. This paper discusses pros and cons of arms transfers--that they increase prospects for local border conflicts, and strengthen dictatorships that violate human rights; yet U.S. interests require some preemptive selling. In particular, the authors challenge the expectation that arms transfers lead to political influence and leverage. Also discussed are restrictive U.S. policies towards arms transfers that have cost the United States political goodwill, and Latin American military geopolitical views emphasizing the need for developing economic infrastructures and pursuing diplomatic initiatives rather than an arms buildup to protect national security. A unique contribution of this paper is the hypothesis that prestigious weapons are more significant for their diplomatic symbolism than for their military capability in affecting relations between Latin American neighbors.

This volume examines inter-American security issues in the United States and Latin America, and explores the impact of global changes on the Western Hemisphere. Differing economic, political and strategic potential and influence in the emerging world system is discussed.