Figure 1.-- This photo was taken in Montecristo, Bolivar Department, northern Colombia (1983). Some Union Campesina (peasant association) is underway. These groups were organized to pursiue the iunterests of the camesino members as well oyther sactgivites like helping to market the harvests.

Colombia is the second most populace country in South Amnerica and ther third in Latin America after Brazil and Mexico. The demographics of Colombia have undergine massive changes. After World War II at mid century, Colombia was still s very ruiral country Some 60 percent of Colmbians lived in rural areas (1955). Much of the rural poulation was camposinos, landless or or small propritors -- a rural peasantry. And unlike the Andean countries to the south, Amerindians make up only a small part of the campesinos. They are moistly Mestizo and European. We are not sure why the Amerindian populstion is so muvh lower than the other Andean countries. Inequities in Colombian society fed into La Violencia -- a 10-year civil war (1948-58). It was by the Colombian Conservative Party and the Colombian Liberal Party, mostly in the country side. Than a Communist insurgency dought bythe Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) and Drug Lords, violent men like Prfdro Escúbar, destabilized the country. The two groups often cooperated. Again much of this was fought out in the countryside. Through all of this something amaing happened--the economy continued to grow, in largev meaure because of free market capitalim. Once much of rural Colombia was covered by cultivated plots of corn, beans, coffee, sugar cane, and yuca as well as some coca. The country has been transformed by a movenment to the city. Here they have foiund decent paying jobs. Substantial areas of rural Colombia habe losy populastion. The economics are inescapablerrefutable. A camesino family with a small plot, simply can not eke out a decent life. Today the country is heavily urbanized--(80 percent). And reports all kinds of basic statistics of a successful country (birth rates, infant mortality, deaths under 5 year, life expectancy, fertility rates, ect.) have reached First World standards.

Created: 8:06 AM 10/23/2020
Last updated: 8:06 AM 10/23/2020