A Research Paper on Population Control in Peru

Introduction

The case study I have chosen for this paper is the population control in Peru during the Fujimori administration, when Alberto Fujimori was president of Peru. President Fujimori was in office from late July 1990 to late November 2000. During this time, the Fujimori administration implemented a population policy that led to a forced sterilization campaign targeting the poor, rural, and indigenous populations, with a particular focus on rural women. This policy was created in response to increasing economic instability, extreme poverty, and a rising population. The modernization theory and neoliberalism played significant roles during the 10 years of the Fujimori administration. These theories relate to population control in Peru because they demonstrate attempts to improve society and how these attempts affected physical and economic growth. Both theories contributed to population control but had different impacts. The group benefiting from these perspectives includes those who gain deeper insights from modernization theories throughout this case. By allowing forced sterilization to occur in Peru, modernization and neoliberalism theories illustrate the government's actions, policies, principles, and ideas throughout the Fujimori administration, as well as their consequences and critiques. In this paper, I will argue the advantages and disadvantages of both theories during the administration, the historical context during Alberto Fujimori's tenure, and how it affected rural women during and after his presidency. Additionally, I will explore how the chosen theories explain, reproduce, and challenge this case study.

Modernization Theory

Modernization theory is an evolutionary theory predicting how societies develop. It outlines a transition from "traditional" to "modern" within each country's society economically, socially, and politically. The advantages of this theory include its straightforwardness due to linearity, providing a lens through which people can view the world. However, its disadvantages include colonial undertones, as it implies that economic powers do not acknowledge their responsibilities for past colonial deprivations but instead view themselves as helpers for countries to catch up. Underdevelopment is not seen as a process produced by structural inequality but as a set barrier to be overcome. This perspective largely ignores the minimal development in developing countries and overlooks Eastern influences, rendering it somewhat outdated (Smith, 2010).

Neoliberalism Theory

Neoliberalism theory is a mainstream international economic theory positing that markets efficiently allocate resources and that trade and investment flows across borders are optimized with minimal restrictions. As David Harvey (2005) stated in his article "Neoliberalism as Creative Destruction," neoliberalism is "a theory of political economic practices proposing that human well-being can best be advanced by the maximization of entrepreneurial freedoms within an institutional framework characterized by private property rights, individual liberty, unencumbered markets, and free trade" (p. 22). One advantage of neoliberalism is increased governmental influence, allowing figures like Alberto Fujimori to advocate for change. However, a disadvantage is the risk of a smaller government becoming too powerful, as unchecked influence may flourish under a neoliberalist framework.

The Population Control Situation in Peru

The population control situation in Peru arose due to increasing economic instability, extreme poverty, and a growing population. Alberto Fujimori, a Peruvian politician, served as president from late July 1990 until late November 2000. During this time, approximately 300,000 women and 22,000 men were forcibly or deceitfully sterilized by government officials. By 1996, under Fujimori's control, the government oversaw a massive forced sterilization campaign known as Voluntary Surgical Contraception (VSC), supported by the United Nations and other international aid agencies. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) provided funding and training until objections from churches and human rights groups exposed the campaign. USAID collaborated closely with Fujimori's sterilization campaign, training military doctors and funding Peruvian NGOs involved in the Emergency Plan. Women, particularly those from marginalized indigenous and rural communities, were the most affected. Many sought legal recourse, filing lawsuits and complaints against the policy. Fujimori's presidency ended in scandal due to corruption and human rights violations, including infringements on indigenous and women's reproductive rights. A similar situation was depicted in the film "Yawar Mallku" (Blood of the Condor), directed by Jorge Sanjinés, highlighting illegal sterilizations of indigenous women in Bolivia by "Peace Corps" personnel.

Theories and Their Application

These theories helped me understand the population control case study in Peru by illustrating how easily someone like President Fujimori could manipulate his country. The government's smaller size made it easier for those in power to implement policies. Modernization and neoliberalism theories justify development mechanisms that can potentially support a developing country's improvement rather than its downfall. However, the limitations of each theory are evident, as smaller government is not always optimal. Organizations like the United States Agency for International Development and the United Nations benefited from the perspectives these theories brought to my case study. I believe that neoliberalism theory offers more insights into population control in Peru (Harvey, 2005; Smith, 2010).

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Fujimori administration had a significant negative impact on rural women in Peru from 1990 to 2000, and the repercussions of forced sterilization are still felt today. The advantages and disadvantages of modernization and neoliberalism theories, the historical context during Fujimori's presidency, and the chosen theories' ability to explain, reproduce, and challenge this case study play crucial roles in understanding the complexities of this issue.

References:

Harvey, D. (2005). A Brief History of Neoliberalism. Oxford University Press.

Smith, A. (2010). Colonialism and Modernization Theory. Journal of Development Studies, 46(5), 789-807.