Do you think Trujillo would have still become corrupt if there had been a checks and balances system instituted in the government? Why or why not?

Answer 1

The problem with Trujillo’s dictatorship wasn’t corruption per se, but the circumstances around it. For instance, it lasted so long because: (1) he seized most of his power with a military coup: he was never elected in a free and disputed election; (2) he rode on potent anti-American sentiment for decades, as many Central and South American heads of state also did; and (3) he quickly worked to remove any effective checks and balances from government once he was in power. Checks and balances somewhat work to prevent corruption in a stable democracy, but they or their lack are usually not the cause of political violence in the Global South.