elites took direct political control of the governments, forming oligarchic democracies. They claimed legitimacy through the drafting of constitutions based upon those of the United States and Europe, although they usually held power through support of the military. Although political parties were ostensibly formed, there was little disagreement on policy issues or on economic development; thus, public debate was usually mild and voting a virtual sham. In countries such as Mexico, Venezuela, and Peru the economic elites took political control indirectly through the military. The dictators who usually ran the governments often did not come from the upper ranks of society (Skidmore, 1984, p. 50).
After 1900, the export-import economy of Latin America grew at an even faster rate, especially in Chile, Mexico, Argentina, and Brazil. Most responsible for this sudden growth were untapped natural resources which were finding an ever-expanding market in Europe; in return, Europe provided Latin America with even larger amounts of capital and labor. This la
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