International Encyclopedia of Communication Online

Extract

South America comprises 13 countries with a vast array of cultural backgrounds. Its cultural diversity stems from Spanish, French, Dutch, Portuguese, and a myriad of indigenous languages (→ Cultural Patterns and Communication ), which is reflected in South American communication law and policy. Néstor García Canclini (2005) has called South American culture a hybrid variety of influence and patterns (→ Culture: Definitions and Concepts ). Citizens' liberty was a key idea in many South American countries during their pre-independence struggles. It can be traced to liberal traditions in South America ( Habermas 2006 ). In South American political culture, caudillos , or charismatic leaders, were a vital element in the “delegative democracies” ( O'Donnell 1994 ), as they considered themselves the voice of the people. They often monopolized political decision-making processes. During the nineteenth century, the caudillos occupied the vacuum of power left by the European colonial powers. As their predecessors did, they restricted freedom of expression and enforced censorship. But liberal principles impacted freedom of expression in most South American countries, and they evolved according to local customs and norms, which caudillos invoked in imposing their authoritarian rule. Two opposing free speech ideas coexisted: to obey caudillos vs to achieve freedom while rejecting ... log in or subscribe to read full text