Deleted member 67076
What's needed to keep the nation of Gran Colombia from splintering into Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela as in OTL and keeping said nation stable?
It would be very difficult due to South American regional infighting, according to the Bolívar biography I read. As for how to save it, I'm not sure, as the book largely glossed over the country itself and focused on the battles. Perhaps have Bolívar live longer?
According to Wikipedia,
I wonder what Simón Bolívar and Francisco Santande knew about the post-revolution struggle in the U.S. between Federalists and Anti-federalists over how to build a stable and united nation? Did they have accurate information? What, if anything, did they glean from what they read and heard about both the successes and failures of the American experiment?
I'm thinking that an essential part of keeping "Gran Colombia from splintering into Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela as in OTL and keeping said nation stable" rests with keeping Bolívar and Santande working together, in a way similar to the way the Federaslists and the Anti-federalists had, in order to build South America's Una nación, indivisible.
I wonder what Simón Bolívar and Francisco Santande knew about the post-revolution struggle in the U.S. between Federalists and Anti-federalists over how to build a stable and united nation? Did they have accurate information? What, if anything, did they glean from what they read and heard about both the successes and failures of the American experiment?
I'm thinking that an essential part of keeping "Gran Colombia from splintering into Ecuador, Colombia and Venezuela as in OTL and keeping said nation stable" rests with keeping Bolívar and Santande working together, in a way similar to the way the Federaslists and the Anti-federalists had, in order to build South America's Una nación, indivisible.
Razgriz 2K9
Banned
Yeahhhh.....no.
Having Bolivar survive longer will not equal a surviving Gran Colombia, in fact it might make it more likely to break up sooner...
Gran Colombia is one of those cases of the classic feud between Conservatives and Liberals in Spanish-speaking Latin America. In this case, the Conservatives wanted a strong centralized government (supported by Bolivar) and the Liberals a federal government (supported by Francisco de Paula Santander). It is possible to save it, but it escapes me I'm afraid.
Having Bolivar survive longer will not equal a surviving Gran Colombia, in fact it might make it more likely to break up sooner...
Gran Colombia is one of those cases of the classic feud between Conservatives and Liberals in Spanish-speaking Latin America. In this case, the Conservatives wanted a strong centralized government (supported by Bolivar) and the Liberals a federal government (supported by Francisco de Paula Santander). It is possible to save it, but it escapes me I'm afraid.
Deleted member 67076
What about having one side win, either the Conservatives or the Liberals, and the dissent being crushed?
Razgriz 2K9
Banned
The problem with a side being crushed, as evident with the many constitutional changes of Colombia up to its second Civil War in 1899-1902, is that it won't stay gone for long.
In my honest opinion, it would be better if both sides had worked together from the beginning and maybe find some common ground. Sure, it might result in a convoluted compromise like the Mexican Constitution of 1824, but that is certainly better than nothing. Looking at Bolívar’s model republic more closely, it can be well-adapted to suiting a federal system. A strong presidency coupled with strong regional autonomy (maybe even a semi-presidential mold, if things are allowed to evolve down that road) would be an interesting concept. Here's a look: http://www.reocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/7609/eng/repbol.html
What about an outside threat? A re-vitalized Spain swearing revenge and massing troops in Cuba?
katchen
Banned
The easiest way to keep Gran Colombia together is to have Bolivar's revolt fail and for Spain to hang onto it and invest in it at least until 1898 when the US intervenes and gets New Granada (and one would think Peru (their independence along with Cuba's. At that point, these states are probably beyond the point where secession is possible or will even be internationally recognized.
Razgriz 2K9
Banned
Not possible, The British would squash any chance of Spain trying to reclaim its lost colonies.
Of course that would butterfly things so dramatically that the Spanish-American war would almost certainly not occur. And even if something equivalent did occur, this Spain and Latin America might be so different that America could (gasp) lose.
