19th century South America

This basic socio-cultural framework, with all its inherent ambivalences and contradictions, emerged during the colonial era and exercised a deep and lasting impact on the political, economic and social structure of the new South American nations. Only after many decades was the impact blurred by the action of other external influences, change occurring from within, and a growing sense of national identity. (...) Although the political organization of the independent nations of South America was largely molded after the French and U.S. models, the political culture, values, attitudes, and behavior –particularly during the 19 th centurywere to a considerable extent the reflection of Iberian politics.