IB Docs (2) Team
Political developments in Latin America: Essay planning
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On this page you will find suggestions for essay questions and essay planning activities.
1. Castro and the Cuban Revolution
Task One: Essay planning
To what extent were social factors more important than political factors in causing the Cuban Revolution?
Use the diagram below to help you plan this essay.
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2. Now try substituting 'social' with 'economic' in the question. What were the economic issues that helped cause the revolution and how significant were they compared to political factors?
Task Two
Essay Planning
Plan the following essay. Click on the eye for suggestions
Evaluate the reasons for the survival of Castro's rule in Cuba 1960 to 1980
There are both positive and negative factors relating to Castro's rule that could be considered in answer to this question
On the positive side:
- Castro's social reforms created support: the literacy campaigns, health reforms, Family Code
- Initial economic reforms benefited the workers
- Castro's charisma and personality cult, his skills as a speaker
- Castro's emphasis on Cuban nationalism and use of anti-American propaganda which gained him support
- Allowing dissenters to leave Cuba at key moments
- The economic and military support of the USSR
- Failure of the Bay of Pigs and the outcome of the Cuban Missile Crisis which removed the threat of a US invasion
However, more repressive measures were also used:
- Censorship and surveillance; Committees for the Defence of the Revolution
- Arrest of political dissenters
- Lack of political freedoms - no other political parties allowed
Try to decide which of these were the most important; your essay will have a more analytical focus if you are able to prioritise the factors and identify and justify which are the most significant.
2. Populist Leaders
Task One: Essay planning
In pairs draft an essay plan for the following questions using either Vargas or Peron or Castro as your case study.
Note that for Vargas your focus needs to be on his second presidency, 1950 to 1954 though you can use his earlier rule to give the context of his populist stance. This means that for a rise to power question or treatment of opposition question, Vargas would not be a good choice - it would be better for these questions to use Peron or Castro.
Also make sure that in any essay on populism that define what you understand by populism in your introduction or at the start of your essay. You can then frame your discussion around your definition.
- Discuss the reasons for the rise to power of one populist leader in Latin America
- Discuss the successes and failures of the economic and social policies of one populist leader in Latin America.
- Analyse the aims and achievements of one populist leader in Latin America
Task Two: Comparative essay planning
You may have to compare two populist leaders in an essay question. Complete the grid below and then have a go at planning and writing one of the following essay questions. You could divide the class up into groups and take one essay to plan each and the feed back to the rest of the class.
Note that in your introduction or start of your essay you should define the term populism as this will help to frame your essay and to make sure that you focus on the populist aspects of the leaders' rule. Note that your choice of leaders will be determined by the question; so with the treatment of opposition it would be better to avoid Vargas as there is not much to say about this in the 1950 to 1954 period; better choices would be Peron and Castro.
Right click & edit linkEssay questions:
- Compare the contrast the reasons for taking power of two Latin American populist leaders between 1945 and 1980
- Compare and contrast the economic and social policies of two Latin American populist leaders between 1945 and 1980.
- Compare and contrast the treatment of opposition by two Latin American populist leaders between 1945 and 1980
- Compare and contrast the economic successes and failures fo two Latin American populist leaders between 1945 and 1980
3. Democracy in crisis
Task One: Essay writing
Plan and write the following question. Click on the eye for help with your planning:
To what extent did economic failure weaken elected leaders and democracy in Uruguay up to 1972?
Start by “unpacking the question”:
Topic: Economic failure and weakening of democracy 1967 to 1972
Command Term: To what extent
Key words: Economic failure, elected leaders, weakening of democracy
Concept: Consequence and significanceEssay Plan:
Introduction: Set down key points that support the idea that democracy was weakened by economic failure. Also address the command terms of the question by offering a counter-argument, for example, political considerations. Set out your overall argument.
Paragraph 1: Economic issues in the long term and the failure of the response of elected leaders- add events, details and examples.
Paragraph 2: Economic crisis in the short term and the policy failures…
Paragraph 3: Economic failures led to political crisis, division and repression
Paragraph 4: However, political tension in the long term…
Paragraph 5: Political and ideological division in the short term…
Paragraph 6: Impact of US and broader Cold War context on democracy in Uruguay…
Conclusion: Based on the evidence and analysis presented in your essay, answer the question. Does your evidence and analysis support the assertion that economic failure was a key factor in weakening democracy or were other reasons more important?
4. Rise and rule of a military dictatorship
In small groups, develop detailed essay plans for the following questions:
To what extent were the political and economic policies of one dictatorship in Latin America successful in the period 1948-1980?
Evaluate the economic and social policies of one military dictatorship between 1945 and 1980.
Share your essay plans with the class. Make sure you apply the skills we have practiced before - identify and address command terms, outline a focused structure for the main body of your essay and include relevant and detailed supporting evidence for all points you make.
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