The Rockefeller corollary: The impact of philanthropy and globalization in Latin America

This work is based on the concept that one American family has played a significant role in shaping United States relations with Latin America. Over the course of the 20th century three generations of the Rockefeller family created, developed, and administered corporations and non-profit foundations operating in the region. They developed a network of contacts that allowed them to operate in many different arenas of Latin American society. With their enormous influence the family either molded traditional U.S. policy in the region or at times, worked outside the hegemony of the U.S. government officials. The synergistic activities of their organizations created a unique pattern. This work identifies this pattern as the "Rockefeller Corollary" to traditional interpretations of U.S. diplomacy in Latin America. There are two sides to the Rockefeller Corollary---the "for profit" and the "non profit." The "for profit" interests concentrated on the transfer of modern technology to Latin America and the development of natural resources. The "non-profit" focused on providing fellowships and training Latin American specialists in modern medicine, science, agriculture and the social sciences. As the severe budgetary restrictions of the 1990's force reductions in social services, the Rockefeller non-profit activities provide a historical model of how the Latin American non-profit and private sectors can work together to meet these needs.; The ten basic tenets of the "Rockefeller Corollary" are: (1) the Rockefeller family was one of the primary architects of modern U.S. capitalism and promoted its global expansion; (2) family interests in the region span the course three generations; (3) belief in modernization, technology and modern medicine; (4) belief in corporate responsibility to raise the standard of living; (5) support for a growing network of international elite leaders; (6) philanthropic support for international education, agricultural development (to provide adequate food sources), population control, modern medicine, and the arts (with an emphasis on cultural exchanges); (7) willingness to sign private contracts with local, state and federal governments; (8) family members and associates hold high-level positions in both the public and private sectors of the U.S. economy; (9) support development of professional management class; and (10) helping people help themselves by "priming the pump."...