Effects Of Power And Resistance In Spain & Spanish America (Term Paper Sample)

POWER AND RESISTANCE IN SPAIN AND SPANISH AMERICA BASED ON SKÁRMETA' EL CARTERO DE NERUDA
(Name)
(Institution)
Power and resistance in Spain and Spanish America is arguably one of the most extensively research and debated topics (E & Ed, 2008). A wide range of historical literature and political reviews have been used by scholars and media to bring out the nature, effects and impact of the Spanish America power and resistance struggles. Chile is arguably one of the most significant Spanish speaking countries that were politically affected (Davies, Catherine, Brewster, & Owen, 2006). Antonio Skarmeta (2012) narrates what transpired during this period in Chile through the use of poetry and art. He was able to successfully bring out the imagination of the situation. It is important to determine the changes that brought about the political resistance as well as the struggle for power in many Spanish American Countries taking Chile as the case study.
Antonio Skarmeta (2012) used art to portray the struggles of Spanish Americans as they were the main victims of power and resistance wrangles. Some of the main characters who were understood the reality of what was going on in Chile include the likes of: Neruda,Salvador Allende,Augusto Pinochet and Mario Jiménez. Mario Jiménez decline the offer to lead what the natives considered a normal life. He refused to undertake the only and the most popular economic activity carried out by majority of the people in Isla Negrathat village, fishing. Instead Mario Jimenez chose to become a postman. This is a depiction of change. It was the change that the Spanish Americans had long waited for. This clearly shows that people were tired and exhausted by the regime and system of governance. It was a sign of a new dawn where Spanish Americans were ready to enforce an alternative administration. As a postman, Mario Jimenez, an initially shy boy, started interacting people including one of his great customers, Neruda. Interaction between people of different backgrounds was a depiction of development of unity among the natives. Unity was a crucial and significant aspect in the struggle for power and resistance in Spanish American countries.
Doña Rosa is another character used by many scholars and author to explain the general assumption in the society. According to Doña Rosa for people to fall in love the aspect of money and financial ability is very necessary. He implements his belief when she ignores the position of Mario and hits back their relationship with her daughter Beatriz. However, form Dona Rosa's character and actions; it is evident that politicians and governors of the society were not ready to positively revolutionize its politics. This is seen and justified by the manner in the 1968 elections were organized and conducted as well as the type of campaigns being carried out. From the context and characterization of Dona Rosa, that we learn and conclude the political language and policy layout used during the election campaigns were deceptive. In the 1968 election campagn, Mario portrays his belief in democracy and the need to have a sound government system. This is captioned from his actions, for instances when he returns the leaflet given to him by Labbe, who was distributing campaign leaflets to the fishermen convincing them to vote for the deceptive and arrogant candidate.
Mario Jimenez happens is among the most advantaged people in the society. This is because he is financially well off and stable. However, despite the hard work and the ability to provide for the woman he loves, Beatriz, He is brutally mistreated and abused by the corrupt and incompetent government under the leadership of Augusto Pinochet due to his political beliefs and stan. This is an indication that Augusto Pinochet's government is unwilling and afraid that the majority voters will vote against it. Augusto Pinochet tended to think that the financially stable people were behind his eviction from power (Vernon, 2008)
. This made hhis become ruthless and oppressing to the relatively rich. To him, they were his political enemies. Augusto Pinochet also believes that people with adequate resources can stage a revolution aimed at ejecting him from power hence the need to stage a resistance by use brutal harassments to the affluent members of the society.
The incompetent government of Augusto Pinochet led in the oppression and restarinant of the media. Journalists and artist were being limited from expressing their views on the performance and system of justice in the government. From the case study, this is evident when Maria writes and submits a poem to the Chilean Magazine to express his opinion and experience after being unlawfully arrested and brutally harassed by the police. The contest judge internationally omits it from the list of poems to be presented and published. Instead, Mario is arrested by Pinochet's secret police. This was a clear indication of lack of freedom of expression in the country. Those in power were ready to do anything to ensure that they protect their power by all means even if it meant mistreating those they govern. After a period of tough struggle for the power to eject and get rid the oppressive and corrupt governments that had taken the leadership of the country in the previous years, Salvador Allende becomes Chile's president. As a result, Neruda was offered a chance to serve his country at the capacity of the country's ambassador to France based on his competence and qualification.
However, despite the struggles to have a democratically elected leadership in hile, symbolized by Salvador Allende's government, the country was affected by massive political unrest that would later short live the government's time in office (Editors, 2016). The political environment was marred with greed and the need for power to an extent it was no longer about the service leadership but instead it was all about the power. The idea of Neruda keeping in touch with Mario even after being the ambassadorial position is clear indication of humility. The Salvador Allende's government was characterized humility, competence and qualified staff. The positions were also being given on basis of merit and devotion to the society (Editors, 2016).
At the beginning, Salvador Allende's government seemed perfect and upto the task to deliver on objectives of the Chileans. Everything looked perfect until the political environment changed. Political unrests in the country made Salvador Allende's government very unpopular. The struggle for power in the country was at its best. Greed and malice was at the epitome level more especially among those seeking the top most political seat in the country, the presidency.Salvador Allende's government was overthrown and the president, Salvador Allende murdered by General Pinochet.
After the political unrest, any person who served in the former government under the leadership of Salvador Allende is forced to go into exile for safety (Telegraph, 2011). Neruda therefore goes exile to ensure that he is safe from the claws of General Pinochet, who had already declared himself the president. Based on the fact that all that General Pinochet's group wanted was to take over power, It is that the political unrests in the country was a due to fawl calls and claims (Garza, 2010). The creation of unrest was a well coordinated move by the opposition. They claimed of lack of jobs as one of the many reasons as to why Salvador Allende's government was all untrue. However, this was not true. Political appointments that were made during Pinochet's reign were all based on loyalty as the only key requirement. This worked in a way that those qualified but not loyal to his approach and style of leadership were not given any positions in government.
Initially, under the leadership of Salvador Allende, there was a lot of media freedom. The media was free and fair and that is exactly why the enemies of development such as Pinochet took advantage of the media and spread lies and deceit that the government had failed in creation of adequate jobs for the people (Clark, 2013). All forms of torture and harassment were introduced during the leadership of the coup leader General Pinochet. Police arrests were so common in the country. The rate of development was close to none. This was guided by the ill motive of retaining power at all costs. This turned the police into cannibals against their own people. The instance of Mario being arrested by the secret police for requesting that his poem being published was an indication of media oppression. Politacl detainees were being brutally beated and no justice was applied.
Based on the above analysis it is arguably in order to state that most of the characters used by Antonio Skarmeta in El Cartero de Neruda are politically unsure and unstable and had little or no complexity. The actions of General Pinochet are actually a clear sign of being politically greedy and incompetent. Instead of coming up with great policies as a way of taking over the government under which he would convince people to vote for him, He opts for a coup to get to power. The reality that he leverages on deceit as a way of making his political millage is a clear indication of being politically incompetent and unfit. According to (Payne, & G, 2012) political complexity is the art of coming to a political decision based on unique criteria that involve a lot of evaluations. This was not the case in the Chilean society as portrayed by Antonio Skarmeta (2012). Characters such as General Pinochet's use of lies, deceit, coup and murder to attain political power is a clear indication that there is no evaluation involved in political decision making.
Salvador Allende was a true leader (Collier & Sater, 2009). His political maturiry and complexity saw his regime sail softly a...