For a timely analysis of the Latin American situation, this is the most significant book published by a journalist in at least a decade. It may not prove to have the timelessness of Dunean Aikman’s The All American Front (1940), but it surpasses such surveys as Gunther’s Inside Latin America, and the flood of books written by American correspondents in recent years. If it is true that the final judgment of historians comes closer to foreign rather than domestic appraisals of contemporary events there are two additional reasons why this book should have a special place in the literature: it is written by a Canadian (a correspondent for the Montreal Star, who has been assigned to Latin America since 1960), and it is replete with opinions of Latin Americans on all current issues.
The theme of the book is not new: the rising tide of anger of the urban and rural masses, cultivated by students and intellectuals against the indifferent and reactionary military, land-owning, church, and middle sector groups. But the wealth of illustrations, representing journalism at its best, which highlight and dramatize the theme, provide the core value of the book. Clark considers the underlying bases for social revolution in the first half of his book: life in urban and rural slums, and the influence and thinking of the respective groups in Latin America. His negative appraisal of the military parallels Edwin Lieuwen rather than John J. Johnson, and he is pessimistic about the Latin church hierarchy adequately supporting Pope John’s Mater et Magistra. The final six chapters are devoted to an appraisal of current issues: Brasília placed in perspective of Brazil’s development; an assessment of fidelismo and communism in many of the countries (the example of the Cuban revolution, he finds, is more important than either Castro himself or the Communists who are torn by the China-Soviet Union rivalries); the unhappy U.S. record in the small Caribbean countries; the hopeful transitional government in the Dominican Republic; a summary of Cuban developments since Castro (he tentatively suggests that a different U.S. policy might well have prevented the Communist domination of the island); and a grimly pessimistic review of the Alliance for Progress.
The author concludes that the only hope for Latin America is a vigorous U.S. interventionist policy to support reformist regimes in the area. The present situation in Bolivia would hardly support this policy, nor would the historical record suggest that U.S. intervention for Latin American democracy has ever been effective. Had the author been assigned to Washington, he might also have appreciated the enormous difficulties in effectively implementing such a policy within the complicated decision-making framework of the U.S. government. Exception might also be taken to the author’s conviction that it is “one minute before midnight.” From his own account, the masses, especially in the traditional countries, are still lethargic. One might more easily conclude that the pattern for the next decade will see the restoration of military-oligarchic regimes, which in itself will provide fertile soil for encouraging mass unrest and an ultimate explosion. Finally, Clark failed to identify one crucial issue which may vitiate the best-laid plans for avoiding violent social revolutions in Latin America: the population explosion. The U.S. policy of introducing sanitation in Latin America during the 30’s before attention was given to economic development and employment may well have more serious consequences than our record of encouraging Latin dictators which Mr. Clark deplores. While exception may be taken to these conclusions, the great importance of this book lies in the fact that the author understood what the relevant questions were and relentlessly investigated them from the viewpoint of key groups in Latin America. It is a book which should not be ignored by the profession, by decision makers in Washington, or by the general public.
