College - Author 1
College of Liberal Arts
Department - Author 1
Modern Languages and Literatures Department
Date
3-2011
Primary Advisor
Karen Muñoz Christian
Abstract/Summary
This project was inspired by the book by Eduardo Galeano, The Open Veins of Latin America, which examines the reasons behind Latin America‘s poverty as a result of the Spanish conquest in the fifteenth century through globalization in the twenty-first century. Paraguay stuck out to me in the book because it was unlike the other Latin American countries that were getting drained of their resources for the greater goal of the superior country. Surprisingly, Paraguay was one of South America‘s most advanced countries in the late 1800s which intrigued me because Paraguay is now the second poorest country in South America and corruption is widespread. I felt it necessary to take a glance at Paraguay‘s history and examine what lead to its rise and fall and the consequences of these events.
In short, Paraguay‘s situation can be interpreted from the events that took place starting with the Spanish conquest, the various wars that Paraguay fought, and the economic and political motivations behind these events. As a result, the transformation this country has gone through over the centuries is a product of these key events. Through this investigation I hope to communicate the importance that Paraguay has and has had in South America throughout history although it is a seemingly unimportant country to the average by-passer.
URL: https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/mllsp/12