Relaciones internacionales.indb - HOMINES

SOCIOLOGICAL VIEW AND THEORY OF SUBORDINATE INTEGRATION...
Without new actors and groups in the upper echelons of power, it will
not be possible to begin an enduring project of integration for the Caribbean
and Latin America; a project that should be initially sparked by a
renewed model of economic development.
Until now, in Latin America, none of the sectors of the great bourgeoisie,
the bureaucracies which administer the State, the military, traditional
leaders of political parties and social interests that dominate the multinationals,
have been genuinely interested in unifying Latin America and the
Caribbean (it was all simply rhetoric). On the contrary, they have opposed
and effectively contributed to impede the process. During 1993-1996, these
sectors were of course very interested in integration within NAFTA.
The experience of the Andean Group, which is a process of integration
which we have personally investigated, effectively reveals the lack of commitment
of the social sectors mentioned above with respect to integration. 36
We cannot count on the present bourgeoisie or the military, political parties
and multinational interest to promote effective economic development and
integrate Latin American nations; on the contrary, they themselves are the
greatest impediment. As has been mentioned, the interest is in opening up
national markets to NAFTA.
Official government support has not been able to generate integration, in
fact it is, above all, of “rhetorical” and ideological nature. Present processes
of integration are really attempts to open Latin American and Caribbean
markets to North American products and services. These are now called
“trade agreements” or “free trade zone” or “common markets.” They have
been, above all else, short term instruments and temporary efforts to resolve
aspects of the recessive crisis in capitalism, particularly U.S. capitalism.
Free trade and capitalism have to be drastically reformed in Latin
America and the Caribbean; this includes modifications of the infrastructure,
industrialization of agriculture, redistribution of wages and changes
in the social structure. The internal demand must be broadened to all social
sectors and the State’s power of economic intervention has to be reinforced.
Above all, our region should create an ample production of capital
and technology. 37 There exist various regional efforts to create a process of
“substitute of importation of capital and technology,” this variant is one
36
Frambes-Buxeda, Aline, “Aspectos Sociales y Políticos en la Integración del
Grupo Andino,” in: Nuestra América Latina, (A. Frambes-Buxeda, Compiler),
Libros Homines, San Juan de Puerto Rico, 1989, pp. 243-302.
37
Boris, Dieter, “Algunos planteamientos en torno a la cooperación entre México,
Brasil y Argentina respecto a la industria de bienes de capital y de la
producción de tecnología,” paper presented in the “Coloquio Internacional-
Alternativas para las sociedades latinoamericanas en el pasado y presente,”
Wilhelm-Pieck-Universität, Rostock, RDA, May 24-27, 1989, pp. 1-13.
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Vol. XX, Núm. x - xxxxx de 2005 • HOMINES •