Essay on Honduras
The Dynamics of One Community: Honduras
Christian Masso
Mercyhurst University
The Dynamics of One Community: Honduras
Honduras is a country formed by different types of cultures, both indigenous and city cultures. Even though this is the case, this small Central American country is affected by the same social problems as a whole. In order to understand Honduras’ present, it is important to know some history of the country that have influenced how Honduran society is today. Honduras was part of Spain’s empire during colonialism, causing the country to lose most of its riches in gold and the indigenous population. In 1821, Honduras gained its independence from Spain and entered a period of political uncertainty. The 1900’s were the age of military rule, until the first elected civilian came to power in 1982. The country was then shattered by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, killing around 5,600 people and causing $2 billion in damage. Since then the economy has not developed as fast as it could (CIA: The World Factbook: Honduras 292). In addition, a coup d’état occurred on June 2009 to overthrow communist President Manuel Zelaya Rosales, and the international community sanctioned Honduras economically for around 6 months. Evidently, Honduras has a difficult past, hence a very difficult present. The major problems in Honduran society start within families, and then transmit to the economy, which affects work and created poverty. Consequently public education and health is really bad, causing crime rates to skyrocket. These problems are very closely related and it is essential to understand how they affect Honduran economy. The problems aforementioned can be viewed and analyzed through the different perspectives learned in class, especially the conflict perspective because it involves conflict between groups and interests, class-consciousness, and the power elite and class identity. Further on these social problems will be identified and explained in Honduran society and will
Christian Masso
Mercyhurst University
The Dynamics of One Community: Honduras
Honduras is a country formed by different types of cultures, both indigenous and city cultures. Even though this is the case, this small Central American country is affected by the same social problems as a whole. In order to understand Honduras’ present, it is important to know some history of the country that have influenced how Honduran society is today. Honduras was part of Spain’s empire during colonialism, causing the country to lose most of its riches in gold and the indigenous population. In 1821, Honduras gained its independence from Spain and entered a period of political uncertainty. The 1900’s were the age of military rule, until the first elected civilian came to power in 1982. The country was then shattered by Hurricane Mitch in 1998, killing around 5,600 people and causing $2 billion in damage. Since then the economy has not developed as fast as it could (CIA: The World Factbook: Honduras 292). In addition, a coup d’état occurred on June 2009 to overthrow communist President Manuel Zelaya Rosales, and the international community sanctioned Honduras economically for around 6 months. Evidently, Honduras has a difficult past, hence a very difficult present. The major problems in Honduran society start within families, and then transmit to the economy, which affects work and created poverty. Consequently public education and health is really bad, causing crime rates to skyrocket. These problems are very closely related and it is essential to understand how they affect Honduran economy. The problems aforementioned can be viewed and analyzed through the different perspectives learned in class, especially the conflict perspective because it involves conflict between groups and interests, class-consciousness, and the power elite and class identity. Further on these social problems will be identified and explained in Honduran society and will
References: Bosworth, James. (2010). Honduras: Oganized Crime Gaining Amid Political Crisis. Woodrow Wilson International Center For Scholars. Retrieved November 9, 2012. CIA: The World Factbook: Honduras. (2011). CIA World Fact Book, 292-295. Tim Merrill, ed. Honduras: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1995. Honduras. IFAD. Retrieved November 9, 2012 from http://www.ifad.org/media/success/honduras_2.htm Leon-Guerrero, Anna. Social Problems: Community, Policy, and Social Action. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge, 2011 Tim Merrill, ed. Honduras: A Country Study. Washington: GPO for the Library of Congress, 1995 United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (2011), 2011 Global Study on Homicide - Trends, Context, Data, Vienna, Austria: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, p. 93, Table 8.1, retrieved 30 March 2012 (2012). 2012 INCSR: Country Reports - Honduras through Mexico. U.S State. Retrieved November 9, 2012 from http://www.state.gov/j/inl/rls/nrcrpt/2012/vol1/18 4100.htm