After an independence revolution a nation tends to proceed towards a period in which it learns independence and can function on its own with its own identity. They learn to respect citizens' rights, ensure national security, instill a sense of patriotism, and manage economic endeavors in a way that benefits the nation as a whole. After the independence revolutions, Latin American countries did not achieve many of these goals. The countries showed no signs of becoming independent after their revolutions. They allowed Britain and the United States to step in and dictate their own economic infrastructure by exploiting the masses and allowing only a few individuals to enjoy the wealth. This in return led to brutal political dictatorships, large numbers of landless agricultural labourers, low literacy rates and repression of workers. Latin America is a rich land with poor inhabitants because the leaders of each country have failed to recognize how to actually create an independent nation. After most Latin American countries gained independence from Spain in the late 19th century, the question of what type of government the countries would adopt and who would oversee them. Many wanted to maintain the Hispanic American tradition of a ruling monarch; while others were intrigued by the teachings and doctrines of the Enlightenment and admired America's success and wanted to start over as a republic. The federalist and centralist factions aligned with two main political currents that dominated Latin American politics during the nineteenth century: liberalism and conservatism. Generally, liberals looked to the United States as a model while conservatives… middle of paper… individuals in power were too selfish to care about the nation as a whole. Their only concern was to enrich themselves as much as possible, regardless of the well-being of others. In a sense, Latin America is not “detached” from Spain. The focus of Spanish colonial America was the exploitation of the masses and the limitation of power and wealth among the elite. This notion has been prevalent throughout Latin American history. Until Latin American countries can free themselves from the exploitation and involvement of foreign powers in their economy, they will never be able to have[-]. The United States played a major role in the lack of progress in Latin America after the 19th century. Anything that challenged U.S. commercial interests in Latin America led to a radical reaction from the United States. These radical reactions scare many citizens.