Choose one of the following questions and write a 1,000-1,200 word critical and argumentative essay. Your instructor wants to read genuine reflections about the class topics, with specific examples from the readings, relating to specific countries, environments, commodities, socioeconomic and historical processes, etc. Please refrain from making broad, vague claims about capitalism or human nature, and focus on exercising the full capacity of your critical skills in the context of college-level historical analysis. Remember to read the questions carefully and include quotes from the materials, as instructed.
Questions:
1. How does the story of the Chichimec woman told by Moore and Patel relate to the broader historical context of capitalist development in Latin America? Consider the analysis that the authors lay out in their book and see if you can make connections with some of the political and environmental aspects of the region’s history, including but not limited to the histories of sugar, rubber, bananas, mining, and oil. You should incorporate at least 2 quotes from 2 different materials from the syllabus. You can also incorporate optional readings or external resources if you want.
2. Based on the discussions that we’ve had since the beginning of the semester, what are your thoughts on the impacts of capitalism on Latin American environment and society? If you think that capitalism has mostly brought positive things, then how do you deal with its negative impacts, including slavery, indigenous genocide, imperialism, inequality, and environmental devastation? If you think that capitalism has mostly been bad, how do you reconcile your stance with capitalist technological and scientific innovation, infrastructure development, industry and productivity, etc.? You should incorporate at least 2 quotes from 2 different materials from the syllabus. You can also incorporate optional readings or external resources if you want.
3. Do you believe that there are any potential solutions to mitigate the negative effects of capitalism on the environment and society in Latin America, and if so, what do you think those solutions might look like? In your answer, please provide specific examples of how your proposed solutions could be implemented in Latin America. Consider discussing potential challenges to implementation and how those challenges could be addressed. Additionally, draw upon any personal experiences or observations you may have that relate to this topic. You should incorporate at least 2 quotes from 2 different materials from the syllabus. You can also incorporate optional readings or external resources if you want.
Attached below will be the readings needed for each question so you can have the liberty to choose what question you’d rather answer.
