Which of the following helps to explain why privileged elites in Latin America held more political and economic power than elites in the United States?
A) There were fewer immigrants to Latin America, so old colonial elites had no challengers.
B) Large estate holders in Latin America controlled far more of the richest lands to produce export crops.
C) There were fewer Amerindian and peasant uprisings in Latin America, and fewer challenges to the ruling elites.
D) The threat of revolts in the homesteader frontiers in Latin American created the need for stronger central government.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Large estate holders in Latin America, often referred to as latifundistas, controlled vast expanses of the most fertile lands dedicated to producing export crops. This concentration of land ownership allowed them to amass significant wealth and power, maintaining their status as the dominant economic and political force in their countries. Unlike in the United States, where land was more widely distributed among a larger number of people, including through homesteading, the control of land and the wealth it generated in Latin America was concentrated in the hands of a few, reinforcing the power of the elite.

Which of the Following Helps to Explain Why Privileged Elites