Income Inequality and Colonial Impact in the Americas

Income Inequality

The disparity in wealth distribution, particularly in Latin America, where the top 10 percent control around 71 percent of the region's wealth.

Economic Division

An economic divide between the rich and poor, leading to issues such as urban migration and rural poverty.

Rural Poverty

Poor people living in poverty in rural areas.

Urban Migration

When people move from rural areas to urban areas, often due to economic pressures and land ownership issues.

Favelas/Squatter Settlements

Areas of poverty found on the outskirts of a city, where residents often lack clean water, electricity, and other basic needs.

Brain Drain

When talented individuals leave a small poor country for a richer country, making it harder for the original country to develop economically.

Dependency Theory

The idea that wealthier countries benefit from keeping poorer countries dependent on them for cheap goods, preventing the latter from becoming economically independent.

Remittances

Money sent back to a person's home country by those who have emigrated, often serving as a significant source of GDP for some countries.

Historical Colonization

The process by which colonial powers took control of land and resources, affecting current economic struggles in Middle and South America.

Mega Cities

Large urban areas that have grown due to urban migration, often characterized by significant economic and social challenges.

Primate Cities

The largest city in a country, which dominates the urban system and often reflects economic disparities.

Urban Housing Crisis

A situation where urban migration leads to insufficient housing availability, exacerbating poverty and economic struggles.

Colonial Landholdings

Land that was owned by colonial powers and not returned to private farmers after independence, contributing to economic issues.

Economic Struggles

The ongoing challenges faced by individuals and communities in achieving financial stability and wealth.

Wealth Gap

The significant disparity in wealth between different socioeconomic groups, particularly evident in Latin America.

Squatting

The act of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied area of land or a building without legal permission, often due to housing shortages.

Poverty Rates

The percentage of the population living below the national poverty line, which remains relatively unchanged despite some economic growth.

Small Farmers

Agricultural producers who own or operate small plots of land, often struggling against larger agricultural enterprises.

Economic Dependency

A situation where a country's economy relies heavily on external factors, such as remittances from abroad.

Globalization Effects

The impact of global economic integration on local economies, often leading to increased inequality and dependency.

Independence Challenges

The various difficulties faced by countries in Central and South America after gaining independence, affecting their development.

Caudillos

Political strong men who try to get into power and keep it at any means necessary.

Political instability

A situation where a country lacks a true system to put someone in office democratically, leading to a power vacuum.

Rebellion

When a group of people start to fight back, for example, the United States Revolution was a rebellion against the British.

Military Dictatorship

A dictatorship run by the military, an example is the Japanese Shogun system.

Berlin Conference

Took place in 1884-1885 involving 14 different European countries and the United States; notably, there were no African people or countries to help decide what happened to their land.

King Leopold II

The king of Belgium who committed terrible crimes against the people of the Congo in order to grow his own wealth at the expense of human life and the environment.

Scramble for Africa

A period when European powers scrambled to take African land, leading to the Berlin Conference.

Effects of the Berlin Conference

Caused leaders like King Leopold to take power and created problems in modern Africa due to arbitrary borders drawn by Europeans.

Colonial Africa

The period when European powers like Italy, the UK, Portugal, and Spain were in control of the African political landscape.

Colonialism

When a country has colonies and takes another country.

Imperialism

When a country expands its land and control in the aims of acquiring power and money.

Ethnic Groups

A group with a common ancestry, language, etc. between them.

Apartheid

Racial segregation in South Africa that lasted until the 1990s.

Indirect Rule

When a colonizer has small local governments established in their colonies.

Direct Rule

When a colonizer directly orders a colonized country.

Missionary

A religious person who aims to spread their religion while traveling.