ABSTRACT
One of the most interesting phenomena in Latin America has been the explosive growth of Protestant religious groups. Further, group behavior in Latin America was conditioned by a set of unwritten rules, called by Charles Anderson the "living museum" effect. While co-optation and repression succeeded in maintaining the "living museum" in most cases, there were four cases of revolution, or the elimination of power contenders, as Anderson defines it. The four cases of revolution include the Mexican Revolution of 1910-1920, the Bolivian Revolution of 1952, the Cuban Revolution of 1959, and the Nicaraguan Revolution of 1979. The chapter talks about the groups that existed before the transitions to democracy that have occurred since 1980 Through the process of economic growth and change, new groups emerged: first, commercial elites and later, industrial elites, students, and middle-income sectors; second, industrial labor unions and peasants; and groups representing indigenous people, women, consumers, nongovernmental organizations, and many others.
