“Newly-established political systems in Latin America faced significant challenges.” Discuss with reference to one Latin American country.

The question requires that candidates offer a considered and balanced review of the challenges faced by new political systems in one country of Latin America. The extent of economic, political or social challenges to one new political system may be assessed and candidates may argue that one of these was more significant than the others. For economic challenges, candidates may consider the impact of factors such as the disruption of trade patterns, the cost of the wars of independence, the difficulty to raise taxes or the lack of infrastructure. For political challenges, they may discuss the influence of political instability, revolts, territorial fragmentation, or rivalries or political tensions between conservatives and liberals. Candidates may also argue that absence of institutions to replace the colonial administration, combined with lack of experience, were significant challenges. For some countries, candidates may argue that the absence of a significant middle class was a challenge, as was racial conflict.