POLITICAL VIOLENCE AND CULTURAL PATTERNS IN CENTRAL AMERICA (FROM INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM IN THE CONTEMPORARY WORLD, 1978, BY MARIUS LIVINGSTON - SEE NCJ-52737)

• NCJ Number: 52740
• Author(s): T P ANDERSON
• Date Published: 1978
• Length: 7 pages
• Corporate Author: Greenwood Publishing Group
• Publication Format: Document
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America
• Note: *This document is currently unavailable from NCJRS.

Annotation

THE PREVALENCE OF VIOLENCE AND TERRORISM IN CENTRAL AMERICA IS EXPLORED, AND CULTURAL, SOCIAL, RELIGIOUS, AND ATTITUDINAL FACTORS THAT AFFECT BOTH PERSONAL AND ORGANIZED VIOLENCE ARE DISCUSSED.

Abstract

THE FOCUS IS ON GUATEMALE, EL SALVADOR, AND HONDURAS, EXCLUDING NICARAGUA AND COSTA RICA BECAUSE VIOLENCE IN NICARAGUA HAS LARGELY BECOME INSTITUTIONALIZED IN GOVERNMENTAL PROCESSES AND BECAUSE AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT SET OF ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL CIRCUMSTANCES HAVE LEFT THE COSTA RICANS TO A CERTAIN EXTENT IMMUME TO THE MALADY OF VIOLENCE. IDEOLOGICAL VIOLENCE IN CENTRAL AMERICA BEGAN WITH THE ORGANIZATION OF LEFT-WING LABOR MOVEMENTS IN THE 1920'S. VIOLENCE HAS BECOME ENDEMIC IN THE REGION, BUT THE ROOTS OF THIS VIOLENCE REMAIN A QUESTION. THE BACKGROUND OF CENTRAL AMERICANS, WHATEVER THEIR PERSONAL ORIGIN, IS CULTURALLY SPANISH AND SPANISH-AMERICAN. THE CODE BY WHICH THEY LIVE IS VERY MUCH RELATED TO THE TERM MACHISMO OR MALENESS. IN CONTRAST TO THE ANGLO STEREOTYPE OF A MACHO, THE CENTRAL AMERICAN IDEA IS MORE CONCERNED WITH DEFIANCE THAN WITH PLEASURE. ESSENTIAL TO THE CONCEPT OF MANLINESS IS THE WILLINGNESS TO FACE DEATH, EVEN WHEN IT COULD BE AVOIDED. DEATH IS GIVEN IMPORTANCE IN RELIGION; WITH DEATH AS AN EVER-PRESENT COMPANION, THE EMPHASIS SHIFTS FROM THE LENGTH OF EXISTENCE TO THE QUALITY OF ITS TERMINATION. ONE ASPECT OF VIOLENCE THAT IS PARTICULARLY CHARACTERISTIC OF CENTRAL AMERICA IS THE MACHETE CULTURE. TO PEASANTS, THE MACHETE IS CLOSELY LINKED WITH MANHOOD AND HONOR. THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM, SURROUNDED BY AN ENVIRONMENT THAT LEGITIMIZES VIOLENT RESPONSES TO SOCIAL AND POLITICAL SITUATIONS, TAKES ON ITSELF THE ASPECT OF A WARFARE SOCIETY. POLITICS OF THE UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY TEND TO MORE EXTREMES THAN THAT OF THE SOCIETY AS A WHOLE. IN INDIAN COMMUNITIES, THERE APPEARS TO BE LESS VIOLENCE AND TENSION THAN IN COMMUNITIES FOLLOWING LATINO PATTERNS OF CULTURE. RESIDENTS OF CENTRAL AMERICA, WHILE SHARING FULLY IN CHARACTERISTICS ATTITUDES THAT MAKE RESORT TO POLITICAL VIOLENCE COMMON IN LATIN AMERICA, TEND TO BRING A STYLE OF THEIR OWN TO VIOLENCE, A STYLE COMPOUNDED BY ELEMENTS OF LATINO AND INDIAN CULTURES. NOTES ARE INCLUDED. (DEP)