Economic Growth in Latin America in the 1800's.
Most immigrants coming to Argentina in the mid-nineteenth and twentieth centuries were of European descent (primarily Italian and Spanish). They fueled a labor force that produced much needed meat, grain, wool, and hides, all commodities which were in high demand globally, but not in Argentina. Their hard work coupled with technological improvements in transportation and food storage, such as steam power (railroads, steamboats) and refrigeration, lead to a steady increase in prosperity. The extremely high percentage of immigrants brought a European sentiment, which left many native-born Argentineans upset and questioning their own nationalism. With the depression and industrialization in other countries, Argentina began to grow dependant on foreign investors and markets, primarily Britain, France and Germany. Focus on global market rather than self-sufficiency, along with a banking system still attached to the gold standard lead to the decline in prosperity.
Chile:.
Chile, unlike Argentina, was initially dependant on foreign investors. British companies claimed much of Chile's nitrate deposits, seeing as that they had no need to import much Chilean grain since their primary supplier was Argentina. Also unlike Argentina, most of Chile's labor force was native born. The lack of internal investment, dominance of foreign investment, minimal rail due to highly mountainous terrain, and native laborers meant that although Chile's natural resources were being sold, the natives often saw little of the money. Highly connected rail systems in other countries such as the United States left little need for supplies from Chile.
Brazil:.
Brazil, like Argentina, depended highly on immigrant labor to grow its cash crops. Internal improvements and technologies unlike Argentina were left to the foreign investors, primarily Britain and the U.S. This limited transportation and communication (railroad and telegraph) for companies owned by native investors.
