Suchergebnisse

These are four books on inter-American relations, the focus necessarily requiring the authors to make an assessment of intra-national politics as well. With one partial exception (Powelson), none of them is based on anything approaching a theoretical orientation, and the frame of reference is not that of systematic empirical inquiry. Their value then for the student of comparative politics or international relations is extremely limited. All (except Vianna Moog) share a diffuse commitment to the prevailing U.S. value system which constrains their ability to define Latin American political realities. It is to this point that most of the present essay is directed.

Despite all the warnings that the Latin-American masses are aroused and demanding social justice, there is little empirical data demonstrating it although there are a few research reports suggesting the lack of validity of the general proposition, in some significant situations. For example, one survey report indicates that even with the rise of the militant, radical peasant leagues in northeast Brazil, the general rural populace has hardly any formulated opinion about nationalism or the Cuban Revolution. This absence of opinion suggests that the people are not yet either sufficiently agitated or aware of the relevance of government and politics in their lives for social revolution to emerge.

An Aug 1961 study of the pol'al orientations (N = 341 12th grade S's) at El Instituto Nacional in Panama City, taking account of what has changed & what has remained constant since a previous study of S's at this Sch in Jan 1960. Since the election of President Chiari in May 1960, many new soc & econ policies have been formulated. But 'the party system continues to consist of a set of personalist parties among which alliances are constantly changing;' & 'there is still no org representing the interests of either the Ur or Ru working man, & few representing the Me.' Moreover, 'the economy has not changed substantially.' Student evaluations of the current President are considerably more favorable than were those of the earlier group toward the former President. It is noted, however, that 'if Chiari's popularity is closely related to his reformist statements, then it may decline quite sharply if he fails or is unable to carry through these reforms.' While there has been a shift in the evaluations of the President, there has been no corresponding change toward a favorable evaluation of pol'al decision makers in general or the pol'al process as a whole. An ambivalence of student orientations toward democracy is noted. It is concluded that 'the President will increasingly find himself between 2 sets of pressures. On the one side are the reformist students, ambivalent toward both the pol'al system & democratic methods. On the other side are those who have traditionally held power in Panama & are still in a position to block any attempt to modify the status quo. 1. Taviss.

Mexico holds the potential for a disastrous confrontation or a constructive breakthrough regarding sustainable development. The world's wealthy nations have been largely able to insulate themselves from the costs of the social and ecological deterioration that characterizes the world's poor countries. The Mexico-United States case is a critical one because the 2.000 mile border makes cost-sharing inescapable