Venezuela’s Political and Economic History: 1830 to Present
Political and Legal Bases of Venezuela as an Independent Nation
1. Legal and Political Bases of Venezuela as an Independent Nation
The Shape of the State: The Constitution of 1830 adopted a center-federal form of government to balance the need for a centralized state with some autonomous rights for the provinces.
Some of the autonomous rights granted were:
- The provincial councils proposed potential governors to the president of the republic.
- The municipalities regained their importance when it was established that each canton would have its municipal council, with administrative powers.
The 1830 text maintained the definition of national territory under the Constitution of 1811, based on the principle of Uti Possidetis Juris (a Latin phrase which means to possess as you possessed). The territory remained that of the Captaincy General of Venezuela before the transformation of 1810.
The territory was divided into 11 provinces: Caracas, Cumana, Barcelona, Margarita, Carabobo, Maracaibo, Coro, Barinas, Apure, and Guyana. Each province was divided into cantons (larger territorial entities), and each canton into parishes.
Citizen Rights: Venezuelans who were married or over the age of 21, could read and write, and enjoyed the rights of citizens enshrined in the Constitution of 1830, met the following requirements:
- To be a property owner whose income reached 50 pesos.
- To have a profession, trade, or industry that produced 100 pesos annually, independent of any other in domestic servant status, or to enjoy an annual salary of 150 pesos.
Those who met one of these requirements were considered citizens and were the only ones who could vote.
The Constitution conceived the right to vote more as a public function than as a genuine right. That decision was inspired by the French Constitution of 1791, which recognized the sovereignty of the people, but without proclaiming universal suffrage, allowing the wealthy to retain control of the state and its institutions.
Priests and army officers were subject to the same conditions as all citizens before the law, disposing of ecclesiastical and military charters. However, slavery and the death penalty remained in force.
Political, Economic, and Social Features: 1830-1864
2. Political, Economic, and Social Features from 1830 to 1864
Social Classes at the Beginning of the Century: In agricultural Venezuela, ethnic barriers imposed by colonial society disappeared, and a new stratification based on property was established.
Rural Society:
- Landowners
- Medium and small landowners
- Peasantry
- Slaves
Urban Society: In population centers with more than 10,000 inhabitants, the following were distinguished:
- Large traders
- Higher clergy
- Middle classes
- Urban servitude
Population Distribution: In agricultural Venezuela, approximately 85% of the population was scattered in the countryside, towns, and villages, due to the predominance of agricultural activity.
Cultural Environment:
The Political Context: The situation of continuing political instability and civil wars influenced the little attention paid to cultural activity. However, there were important initiatives like that of Dr. José María Vargas who, beyond political life, wrote several scientific works in 1836 and founded the chair of chemistry at the University of Caracas in 1842.
The Economic Context: Economic instability limited the contributions of the public sector and individuals to promote cultural activities:
- The state had limited revenues.
- Individuals were overwhelmed.
The Social Context: The differences between social classes deepened due to the following factors:
- Wealth owners copied European and American cultural models.
- People preserved oral traditions.
Cipriano Castro and Juan Vicente Gómez Governments
3. Characteristics of the Governments of Cipriano Castro and Juan Vicente Gómez
The Beginning of the Castro Regime: The Andeans entered national politics in May 1899 when a group of 60 men, commanded by General Cipriano Castro, invaded Venezuela from Cucuta under the banner of the Liberal Restorative Revolution.
Relevant Features of Castro: Castro organized his own Liberal Restorative Party, which ruled despotically, imposing terror and repression that slowly destroyed internal opposition.
Government Work: The government sanctioned the Constitution of 1904, the main innovations of which were:
- A reduction in the number of states to 13. They lost their autonomy.
- The presidential term was increased to six years.
- The election of the President and Vice President of the Republic by an electoral body composed of 14 members of Congress.
- Reduction of the sessions of Congress to a single 90-day meeting every two years.
Rivalry between Castro and Gomez: In 1906, Castro’s political enemies approached Vice President Juan Vicente Gomez and convinced him to assume power in place of his friend, the president, who suffered a severe kidney infection. Since then, Gomez started secret contacts with one of these groups, called the Valencian circle, whose members had been conspiring to overthrow Castro, with the support of foreign companies.
End of the Castro Regime: On November 24, 1908, Castro embarked on a trip to Germany for surgery and left Vice President Gomez in charge of the presidency.
Relevant Features of Gomez: Juan Vicente Gómez ruled directly and indirectly for 27 years. During this period, he established a dictatorship that drowned all opposition and ran the country arbitrarily and personally as if it were private property.
Constitutional Reforms: During Gomez’s rule, the constitution was amended seven times to ensure his continuity in power.
Foreign Policy: Gomecismo’s foreign policy was characterized by its interest in maintaining diplomatic relations with almost all European and American countries.
Economic and Social Aspects of Venezuela: 1958 to Present
4. Economic and Social Aspects of Venezuela from 1958 to the Present
Financing: Venezuela has a market economy based primarily on the extraction and refining of oil for export and domestic consumption. It is the fifth-largest economy in Latin America after Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia, according to its GDP (PPP).
5. Impact of Economic Activities on the Environment and Natural Resources