Rural Latin America: Exclusionary and Uneven Agricultural Development

Abstract

This chapter argues that an exclusionary modernization has transformed the social actors and their relationships in the rural sector. The impact of globalization and modernization on the Latin American agricultural sector has varied from country to country. With the increasing integration of Latin America's rural sector into the urban sector, the boundaries between the rural and urban sectors have become ambiguous. The relative position of Latin American agriculture in the world economy has undergone a striking decline since World War II. The modernization of agriculture based on the growth of the export sector has followed earlier modernization strategies. Prior to the recent neoliberal policies, the hacienda had already been substantially modified in many Latin American countries. Neoliberal economic policies have greatly increased the number of semiproletarian peasants and landless workers, and they could become a major force in future social struggles in the countryside.