Dictatorships in the DR

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pgolivares

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Apr 9, 2010
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I remember reading a book by the late Juan Bosch where he made reference to Dictadura con Respaldo Popular (this might have been the title of the book). This book and recent events got me thinking....

Questions -
1) was Trujillo the only dictator that the DR ever had?
2) Was Balaguer consider a dictator just because he was in office for 12+ years during which time his word/wishes were final and we had no freedom of speech to speak of?
3) Who was Juan Bosch referring to when he said Dictadura con respaldo popular, himself or Trujillo? Or was he getting the country ready for things to come under his presidency?
 
V

Viajero

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Dec 16, 2011
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pgolivares said:
I remember reading a book by the late Juan Bosch where he made reference to Dictadura con Respaldo Popular (this might have been the title of the book). This book and recent events got me thinking....

Questions -
1) was Trujillo the only dictator that the DR ever had?
2) Was Balaguer consider a dictator just because he was in office for 12+ years during which time his word/wishes were final and we had no freedom of speech to speak of?
3) Who was Juan Bosch referring to when he said Dictadura con respaldo popular, himself or Trujillo? Or was he getting the country ready for things to come under his presidency?
Click to expand...

Have you tried the search function on google or dr1? How many military dictators have we had in the DR?
 
P

pgolivares

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Apr 9, 2010
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Viajero said:
Have you tried the search function on google or dr1? How many military dictators have we had in the DR?
Click to expand...

Thank you Viajero.

I knew I could trust this forum to provide guidance in defining what a dictator or a dictatorship gov't is as it pertain to the DR and how has this type of gov't helped the DR over the long run.

I guess there is no argument over what Trujillo and Balaguer, with the help of his trusted generals, did for the country from building roads/schools to helping the campesinos (the bread and butter of this economy of ours). I always wonder why is it that the current gov't (pick one starting with J. Blanco) does not follow their example of building roads that would pass the test of time (not just inner city avenues), payoff the national debt or provide basic needs like security, health benefits, education, etc. FYI - building a road to bring tourists to Samana or Punta Cana does not count in my book. Building a road that connects 2 communities or one that helps the campesinos bring their crop to cities like Santiago, Puerto Plata, Sto Dgo or any other big city is what counts in my book.
 
bob saunders

bob saunders

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pgolivares said:
Thank you Viajero.

I knew I could trust this forum to provide guidance in defining what a dictator or a dictatorship gov't is as it pertain to the DR and how has this type of gov't helped the DR over the long run.

I guess there is no argument over what Trujillo and Balaguer, with the help of his trusted generals, did for the country from building roads/schools to helping the campesinos (the bread and butter of this economy of ours). I always wonder why is it that the current gov't (pick one starting with J. Blanco) does not follow their example of building roads that would pass the test of time (not just inner city avenues), payoff the national debt or provide basic needs like security, health benefits, education, etc. FYI - building a road to bring tourists to Samana or Punta Cana does not count in my book. Building a road that connects 2 communities or one that helps the campesinos bring their crop to cities like Santiago, Puerto Plata, Sto Dgo or any other big city is what counts in my book.
Click to expand...

I guess you haven't driven the new/improved road from Constanza to Jarabacoa or been down south recently. There is a lot of road construction in te DR: recent past, currently, and future PLANS.
 
Hillbilly

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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Major dictators:
Pedro Santana
Ulises Hereaux
Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina

Strong governments
Ramon C?ceres
Joaquin Balaguer-66-78 (Remember all members of the military and police were from the Trujillo era (well most of them)).
Leonel Fernandez

What Bosch was referring to in his book was a dictatorship of an elitist party that was supported by the majority of the people looking for stability above all.

HB
 
N

Naked_Snake

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Sep 2, 2008
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Hillbilly said:
Major dictators:
Pedro Santana
Ulises Hereaux
Rafael Leonidas Trujillo Molina

Strong governments
Ramon C?ceres
Joaquin Balaguer-66-78 (Remember all members of the military and police were from the Trujillo era (well most of them)).
Leonel Fernandez

What Bosch was referring to in his book was a dictatorship of an elitist party that was supported by the majority of the people looking for stability above all.

HB
Click to expand...

Somehow you forgot to mention Buenaventura Baez in the combo, whom could be said to have been a XIXth century version of Leonel Fernandez (as far as getting himself on his knees to foreign interests anyway).
 
F

Frank the Tank

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May 12, 2005
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Hillbilly said:
Major dictators:

What Bosch was referring to in his book was a dictatorship of an elitist party that was supported by the majority of the people looking for stability above all.

HB
Click to expand...

Sounds a lot like the PLD and aren't they getting close? Bosch must be very proud.
 
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jkc

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pgolivares said:
Thank you Viajero.

I knew I could trust this forum to provide guidance in defining what a dictator or a dictatorship gov't is as it pertain to the DR and how has this type of gov't helped the DR over the long run.

I guess there is no argument over what Trujillo and Balaguer, with the help of his trusted generals, did for the country from building roads/schools to helping the campesinos (the bread and butter of this economy of ours). I always wonder why is it that the current gov't (pick one starting with J. Blanco) does not follow their example of building roads that would pass the test of time (not just inner city avenues), payoff the national debt or provide basic needs like security, health benefits, education, etc. FYI - building a road to bring tourists to Samana or Punta Cana does not count in my book. Building a road that connects 2 communities or one that helps the campesinos bring their crop to cities like Santiago, Puerto Plata, Sto Dgo or any other big city is what counts in my book.
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Is it not what DICTATORS try to show that they are indeed doing something for the people? It happened in IRAQ, HAITI, DR, AND everywhere. In reality, what they are doing is enriching their crownies, friends and family members and put their money in SWISS BANKS. Dictators always show that they are for the people, the CAMPESINOS. DUVALIER did the same thing in Haiti. But, if you look at their lifestyles, that is another story. Same thing with the CURRENT NORTH KOREAN DICTATOR. He leads A WESTERN LIFESTYLE While his people are dying from FAMINE. ALL dictators are like that
 
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mart1n

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Dictatorship has changed to buying all the votes and then say you where elected. The world is in a dictatorship when the UN tells everyone what to do, and none of those people are elected
 
drstock

drstock

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mart1n said:
Dictatorship has changed to buying all the votes and then say you where elected. The world is in a dictatorship when the UN tells everyone what to do, and none of those people are elected
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I agree with the first sentence (especially here in the DR), but not the second. The UN is widely ignored by the likes of the US and UK - take Iraq for example. US don't even bother to pay their way in the UN, which shows how much they respect to organization.
 
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Mariot

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Castle said:
How do you know you have "respaldo popular" if you don't have elections or polls?
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all dictatorships have respaldo popular at some point. when they loose it they start becoming violent and in the end, collapse. trujillo is a prime example of this.
 
C

Castle

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Mariot said:
all dictatorships have respaldo popular at some point. when they loose it they start becoming violent and in the end, collapse. trujillo is a prime example of this.
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I understand, but how do you measure this?. "Respaldo popular" could be 15%, 20%, 40%, 75% of population...Polls are of course not allowed in dictatorships, let alone elections. So, how do we know how much of that "respaldo popular" is real and how much it is only propaganda?
I guess we'll never know, and hear-say will have to do...but something tells me that if you have to suppress the elections, maybe it's because the dictator wouldn't win them.
 
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Empiric

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pgolivares,

dictatorships have been the result of bad management by the conquistadores, descubridores or anyway you want to call them

as far as i know the old continent send the worst people [the only willing to go, or prisioners] to 'domesticate' the indians around here, not really... but to kill them and get as much gold as possible, a good beginnin indeed :(

i beleive the book wirtten before truillo, titled xxx provides a picture

education is the key to eliminate most human 'stupidities'

when everyone is up to the same level, then things will start to change, like is already happening, educated persons are becoming presidents in latin america

and they better get educated outside their own country to appreciate...
 
E

Empiric

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pgolivares,

DR does not need more roads, but a good railroad system, for passengers and cargo, as there was one long ago, take a look as to how the USA operates in that regard

but that system was no good for noisy truck makers, so down with it, so most income goes to pay fuels for cars and trucks, check statistics, not that I already did check, anyone can assume that.
 
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Empiric

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what's better a dictator or a messed up country?

crime and hungry, or just hungry?

you have to educate first, then freedom, it is a long proccess
 
H

H.concience

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Jul 17, 2013
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Hey, for the railroad totaly right. I think the same
But its such an investment for the state. Even congo has a railroad since the early 20th century.
 
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Naked_Snake

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Sep 2, 2008
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Empiric said:
what's better a dictator or a messed up country?

crime and hungry, or just hungry?

you have to educate first, then freedom, it is a long proccess
Click to expand...

Yeah, the process must be something akin to emancipation from chattel slavery, as in, it has to be made gradually for it to be successful. Otherwise, it's an invitation to anarchy and chaos, from which an iron fisted government would rise again to impose order. One only needs to see the process from the French and Haitian Revolutions to realize this, the anarchy of assemblies and chieftains gradually giving way to the power of one absolute lord in order for the situation to improve.
 
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