Mayan Influence: Copan

Copan-modern tourist center

Honduras as colonial location

• Cortez journeys here to quell separatist agenda of one of his subordinates

• Colonial center in Gracias a Dio: Castillo de St. Cristobal

Francisco Morazán and the Liberal Uprising

• 1821: Central America declaration of independence

• 1822: Annexed to Mexico (except ES which had to be “convinced” by Mexican troops

• 1823: Iturbide abdicates Absoute declaration of CA independence– United Provinces of CA

• Liberal/Conservative struggle: Morazán leads libs– Strong vision of united CA

19th Century in Honduras

• 1850’s: Honduras is relatively unimportant• Some silver mines discovered in

southern/central Honduras shift the center of gravity and justify Tegucigalpa as the capital.

• In general, no great landed wealthblurs lines of demarcation between Conservatives and Liberals

Tegucigalpa

Mild transitions between cons/libs—ie. Lindo allowed free election in 1852

President Marco Aurelio Soto • 1876: Typical “republican dictator” but with a twist:

– sought to establish a reform policy similar to that in Costa Rica.

– envisioned a system of smallholdings that encourage direct peasant participation in agro-export production.

– peasants were encouraged to maintain their traditional land systems

• this agrarian reform was the least destructive to the communal and ejidal land systems

– established a structure of labor relations that was non-coercive

– eschewed the use of force to regulate labor.

Banana Republic• United Fruit Co

– 1871: Henry Meiggs/Minor Keith go into Costa Rica; • create Tropical Trading and Transport Co.

• complete RR by 1890

– 1885: Boston Fruit Co emerges

– 1899: Two co’s merge to form United Fruit• Antilles: fruit and sugar

• CA: principally bananas

– Northern Honduran coast• San Pedro Sula

• Never connected to Tegucigalpa

UFCO competitors• Vacarro Brothers

– From New Orleans to La Ceiba in 1899

– Eventually merged with comp to form Standard Fruit Co.

• Zemurray Cuyamel Fruit Co. 1911• UFCO financed and partnered with both these cos.

– Friendly relations, cooperation in marketing

• 1929: UFCO buys Cuyamel for $32 million, Zemurray becomes Chairman of UFCO board

“Export Enclave”• Isolated development area, but still powerful

relative to domestic politics– UFCO and Cuyamel supported their own

presidential candidates

• US government role– Removed president in 1919 when he attempted to

tax UFCO– ruled much of Honduras as a colony

• invaded the country at least five times between 1899 and 1925, often during an election.

– remained in place until the early 1930’s

UFCO impacts• Honduras orientation to north and trans Caribbean trade:

closer to New Orleans than to Tegucigalpa– RR in north– Inaugurated radio communications between CA and US in 1910

• Tropical Radio Telegraph Co in 1913

• Medical influence: – Addressed yellow fever, malaria, tropical diseases with clinics,

research and cooperation with international health agencies– Plant diseases (monocropping)

• Dominated the fruit market– Plantations/Controlled prices even for small producers

• Changed racial composition in N and E Honduras• Contributed to weak political institutional structure

Honduras 20th century• 1900-1930: 18 different presidents

– Patronage, chaos, US influence– Result: no oligarchy– But political control=economic power, not the reverse

• Carias: depression dictator but not as ruthless as counterparts in Guatemala and El Salvador (Nicaragua is occupied by US)– 1923 on and off through 1948– Supported coffee development in NW and in SW (Honduras

finally moves into the coffee export regime although bananas are always #1)

• Role of military, violence not as strong as in Guat/ES/Nic– WHY? BECAUSE THE STATE DOES NOT CONTROL LABOR

Transition to democracy?

• 1948-1957: constant struggle between conservative and progressive liberals and military – Coffee cultivation dramatically expanded

– Galvez supports overthrow of Arbenz in Guatemala

– Major banana worker strikes in N Honduras • won collective bargaining/1955 labor code

• Wage increase

• 1957: first fair election since 1923: Villeda

Modern leadership• Villeda: 1957-1963

– Moderate social revolution– Collaborated with JFK/Alliance for Progress– Challenged ruling class/Cuban revolution makes them even

more nervous

• 1963: military exiles Villeda, installs Lopez Arellano (Carias faction) 2 separate periods– Land reform ceasesIncreasing popular activism and

strikes– Salvadoran immigrants compete for jobs/land– 1969: Futbol (soccer) war– 1975: Land reform is back on the agenda

• United Brands scandal: ousted

Reformist outcomes of the 1970’s

• Industrial growth

• Land reform benefits 10%

• Social security benefits 30% of workers

• Health and education

• Closer to Costa Rica than Guatemala

• But military is still strongly in control

Honduras in the 1980’s• Heavy buildup of Contra activity on southern

(Nicaraguan) border and training of ES gov forces in West– US built bases– John Negroponte is ambassador– Pres. Denies, but US vastly increases aid

• Other border tensions– Nicaraguan refugees – Fighting in El Salvador spills over through refugees and guerilla

raining

• Gov controlled during Suarez admin by Gen. Alvarez Martinez– Linked to Sun Myun Moon, supported Reagan's opposition to

Liberation Theologists

1990’s

• Economic and political upheaval– Per capita income in 1990 $534 $205– Major struggle between banana workers and

Chiquita– Land invasions– US leaves

• Indigenous groups become politically active in the West

Current

• Agriculture continues to be a significant part of the economy, despite recent declines in its proportional contribution to GDP, which now amounts to 18% of the total. – subsistence sector is substantial– 42% of the economically active population works in the

agricultural sector – agriculture contributes more than 70% to export earnings

• up to 85% of the rural population in Honduras lives in poverty or dire poverty.

• HDI is .667 (v. ES .719, Guat. .652, Nic .643, CR .832) , many of the departments sustain HDIs from .37 to .41.