HISTORY OF COSTA RICA

The Civil War That Abolished the Military

While all its neighbors were arming themselves to the teeth and many were run by military juntas and dictatorships, Costa Rica became the first country in the world to formally abolish its army.
Odd? Sure, but, that's not the oddest thing.

Nope.

The oddest thing is this: the winners of a civil war---the military guys with the guns and power---disbanded the military permanently.

By constitution.

When was the last time you ever heard of military victors getting rid of themselves(the question is rhetorical)?

It could only happen in the history of Costa Rica and the Land of Pura Vida.

If you like history, take a moment to read on.

Our story begins in 1940. Europe was at war and brutal dictatorships were becoming the rule, rather than the exception, in Central and some parts of South America.

But not in Costa Rica.

The 40's: Reform to Civil War and Beyond

But, it wasn't easy. Certainly not smooth.

And, in large measure, it's the story of two men, sworn enemies.

The first, Dr. Calderon Guardia, was a physician and devout Catholic who had studied medicine in Belgium. In 1940 he was elected by an overwhelming margin as President of Costa Rica.

By all accounts, he was a generous, charitable man, highly influenced by Catholic Social Teaching doctrine involving questions of poverty and wealth, economics, and social organization, and his term as president was marked by great societal reforms, including creation of the:

1. University of Costa Rica the country's oldest and largest public university (it recently celebrated its 70th anniversary and has 39,000 students).

2. Department of Social Security which provides virtually universal health care to Costa Ricans, the quality of which today surpasses that of the United States according to the World Health Organization at a tiny fraction of the cost, see Costa Rica medical care.

3. Land reform laws, establishment of a guaranteed minimum wage, paid vacations, unemployment compensation, and other worker's rights (some codified, some put into the constitution).

Though Calderon's reforms proved very popular with most Costa Ricans (so much so that they continue to this day), land reform angered very powerful land interests (including coffee growers) and reforms for workers incensed the mercantile class, setting the stage for tumultuous events later in the decade.

Costa Rica Civil War

His political problems were compounded by the Second World War and rampant inflation resulting in an erosion of popular support from the middle and working classes.

Abandoned by the people who had brought him to power, Calderon Guardia made several fateful decisions that altered the history of Costa Rica. He formed a political party with two unlikely partners: the Catholic Church and the Communist party, then hand picked his successor (described by many as a "puppet"), who served as president from 1944-1948 after winning what many claimed was a fraudulent election.

Which brings me to the second man in our story: Jose "Don Pepe" Figueres Ferrar.

"Don Pepe" and Calderon Guardia were, by any measure, enemies. When Don Pepe went on the radio in 1942 to attack the government, its response was to send him into exile for two years.

Events came to a head in 1948 when Calderon Guardia ran once again for the presidency. Tensions ran very high prior to the election as each side declared the other intent upon committing election fraud.

After the election, a fire destroyed many of the ballots, further inflaming (sorry about the pun) the opponents.

A court ruled that Calderon Guardia lost but the country's legislature---controlled by Calderon Guardia---annulled the election.

Enter Don Pepe.

An ardent anti-communist, Figueres had formed an organization aimed at overthrowing Latin American communist-supported dictators like Somoza in Nicaragua and Trujillo in the Dominican Republic.

The fire that destroyed the ballots, coupled with the annulment of an election that Figueres believed was political robbery---and Calderon Guardia's alliance with the Communists---proved to the the spark (sorry for another pun) that set off Costa Rica's brief civil war in 1949. Don Pepe led the revolt.

After five weeks, a couple of thousand lives lost, and only a half hearted effort on the part of the government, the rebels won, forming a military junta headed by Don Pepe who promised free elections and return to civil authority in 18 months. But, there was more history of Costa Rica to be written by both of these men.

Costa Rica Abolishment of Military

Except. . .

in the history of Costa Rica.

You see, Don Pepe was himself a reformer and, even though he was leader of the revolutionary junta, he not only favored Calderón's progressive social reform program but added his own landmark reforms. He

--- banned the Communist Party

---granted full citizenship to blacks

---introduced women's suffrage

---established presidential term limits and created an independent electoral tribunal to oversee future elections.

---nationalized banks (there are also private banks these days) and insurance companies.

But, more importantly, he did the unthinkable: he amended the Costa Rica constitution abolishing a a standing army--including his own.

Today, Costa Rica has the distinct privilege of being the first nation to formally abolish its military, a decision from which it has never looked back.

Indeed, it prides itself in pointing out that it has more teachers than police officers (not to mention no military).

And, what about the armaments used in the civil war?

The country still has them.

On display.

The barrels of the cannon have been filled so as to be useless.

In 1974, Calderon was declared a Hero of the Nation by the Costa Rica assembly.

And, what about Don Pepe?

After voluntarily giving up power as leader of the junta, he was twice elected President of Costa Rica and, like his nemesis, ultimately declared a Hero of the Nation.

Ironic, actually, that two mortal enemies contributed so much to the history of Costa Rica.

Now. . . you know the rest of the story.

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