From the early 1820s to 1850, the post-independence economies of Latin American countries were lagging and stagnant.Donghi, T. (1970). Historia contemporánea de América Latina (2. ed.). Madrid: Alianza Editorial. 148–149 Over the nineteenth century, enhanced trade between Britain and Latin America led to development such as infrastructure improvements, including roads and railroads, which grew the trade between the countries and outside nations such as Great Britain.Racine, K. (Aug 2010). "This England and This Now: British Cultural and Intellectual Influence in the Spanish American Independence Era." Hispanic American Historical Review, Vol. 90(Issue 3), p423–454. By 1870, exports dramatically increased, attracting capital from abroad (including Europe and USA)."Latin American History from 1800 to 1914." Woodville. Colegio Woodville, n.d. Web. October 24, 2013. . 2 Until 1914 and the outbreak of World War I, Britain was a major economic power in Latin America, especially in South America.
