Why did many Latin American suffer instability in the years after winning independence?
1 Answer
Being "independent" is neither a provider nor guarantor of prosperity, or even peace.
Explanation:
"Independence" from an imperialistic regime does not mean that a country's citizens are ready or even capable of running their own affairs well. They just have the relative "freedom" to run them as they see fit, or are able.
Often, the stabilizing influence of an "imperial" rule is overlooked in the romantic quest for "independence". Humanity individually and corporately is always a slave to its selfishness. Structure, training, resources and common objectives may be missing or much less than when imposed by an "overlord".
It often takes a time of "instability" for newly "independent" nations to sort that out. Sometimes, it only "works out" for an elite few, while the general populace continues to suffer, and possibly even worse. Among current historical examples, you might consider Venezuela.
