The Long Road to State-Building in Latin America and its Impact on Regionalization Processes

Abstract

This article addresses, from an interdisciplinary perspective, the impact of the long and torturous state-building process in Latin America on the development of regionalization processes in the subcontinent. Firstly, it contrasts classical and contemporary ideas of sovereignty in order to establish, in a differentiated form and from a historic perspective, the manner in which said principle has taken form in the state-building and regionalization processes in both Latin America and Europe. Secondly, it outlines the role of ideas such as Pan-Americanism, Latin-Americanism, South-Americanism and Bolivarianism in the development of the regionalization processes in Latin America. Thirdly, this article defines the characteristic features of the three waves of integration and the reluctance of Latin American states to transfer sovereignty to regional governance structures. Fourthly, it establishes the differences in historic circumstances which have influenced different perspectives on the transfer of sovereignty in the construction of the Latin American and European regions. Finally, from the understanding of the problem of unfinished state-building in Latin America, this article evaluates the development of current regionalization process.