Wot No Army?

A guest wrote us today: " For us - Mediterraneans, a country without enemies and no army, no guns is too strange..."  For Costa Ricans the alternative may be also "too strange".

But let's start with a digression from a famous non-Costa Rican - Alexander Skutch.  There are ongoing debates on the subject locally primarily from gringos who have only been here a short time or are thinking of moving here (by "gringo" I usually mean anyone who is not a Costa Rican, this is not technically correct but who cares eh?).  My guest reminded me of a beautiful book any traveler should pick up before coming here.  Perhaps they will discover some insight as to why we do not need an army - A Naturalist in Costa Rica.

"But I wished to do more than learn facts about living things that surrounded me here; I wished to dwell in harmony with them. The concord that I desired intensely to achieve was more than ecological balance with my environment, which some people mistake for harmony. This ecological balance or stability, wonderful enough in its way, is in reality a balance of disharmonies, violence held within bounds. It is preserved by the merciless decimation, by predators and parasites and other natural checks, of any species that threatens to become so abundant that it will cause the deterioration of its environment by bearing too heavily upon its resources. Such ecological balance with our environment is indispensable for our survival as organisms, but it is too often achieved by means that distress an awakened conscience."

It went on . . . . and he closed with (after he has built his rude cabin in the backwoods) . . . "Here I hoped to have the leisure to mature my thoughts on these baffling problems."

This section written around 1940 . . .  A Naturalist in Costa Rica, by Alexander Skutch (click link for my book list) - the most influential naturalist to wander the forest and hills of Costa Rica.

Alexander also traveled to the only place a Costa Rican army had marched to in anger in 1856 - Rivas, just north of the Costa Rican border, in Nicaragua.

"Rivas is one of those happy places without a history, save such as was connected with its name. It was evidently named for the Rivas in the neighboring republic of Nicaragua where Juan Danta-Maria had advanced under rifle fire to ignite the building in which the army of the filibuster, William Walker, had fortified itself. That campaign to hurl the North American adventurer from Central American soil, few as were the men engaged in it, furnished the epic theme of Costa Rican history. Happy the nation which can recount no more sanguinary wars."

Alexander Skutch and many ex-pats/gringos etc felt as comfortable as I do with the idea that armies are unnecessary if you can get the circumstances working in the right direction and be at one with the ecology.  Once there was an army BTW, but they were abused by the government in an effort to circumvent a democratic election in 1948. 

Don Pepe Figueres, Revolutionary/Idea

The country was retaken by force, a small militia of 2000 led by Don Pepe Figueres, in 1948.  In 1949 he turned the main military barracks into a museum and abolished the army for their poor behavior.

From Wiki:  "abolishing the army (as a precaution against the militarism that has perennially thwarted or undercut democracy in Central America) Figueres said he was inspired to disarm Costa Rica by H.G. Wells "Outline of History", which he read in 1920 while at MIT. "The future of mankind cannot include armed forces. Police, yes, because people are imperfect.", he declared. 

From a local message board, the question was asked,

"Is Costa Rica ready for a Swiss style Army?"

The respondent opined during our very noisy christmas season that starts in early December and ends some time in the second week of January, 

At a Costa Rican Tope

"I've been thinking about this.  As I've been puttering around in my garden this weekend, and trying to get some sleep at night, I've heard an unending stream of parties with mariachis, marimbas, and cimarronas, not to mention the fireworks and other noisy forms of merrymaking.

Ticos should go with their strengths, which is to party hearty. What would happen if a Nicaraguan invasion force was met at the border with 100 tico cimarrona bands armed with several thousand cases of Cacique? My guess is that any red-blooded Nicaraguan soldier would lay down his arms and join in the merriment. --Steve, trying to keep his sanity in S. Rafael de Heredia

So I'll continue with my disconnected musings on a Costa Rican Army.   For CR to need an army it needs to really upset someone else. There is no right side of THAT equation in Costa Rica.  This discussion prompted me to do a first hand survey with 5 Ticos who happened to be standing around having breakfast today. The question was simply, "give me your first reaction to an army in CR?"
 

The best one was along the lines of "we don't want to teach our children military ways, there is already enough violence in the world. They would grow up to be different people."  This was an interesting take and had the room nodding in agreement.  Another, "It is better to talk than to fight." The room was adamant about the lack of need for an army and everyone agreed the effect would be negative for the country. It isn't up to us or our gringo opinions.

Gringos at a Tico Wedding

They might also respond with "soy Tico" (I am a Costa Rican), and that perhaps sums it up.  It is easy for the Tico to give up on the army idea . . . for others it is more difficult.  Every now and again a strong character shows up on the local scene, in 1948 it was Don Pepe Figueres.  He had a good idea and as he had just saved the country from loosing it's soul in a failed election, the populace was more than happy to go along with his brilliant and simple idea.

One respondent, obviously new to Costa Rica opined some time back, "I am wrinkling my eyebrows now at the thought that CR has no army. Do you really feel safe there? I mean, there are ideologies that seek to dominate the world and it seems to me that CR has no way to defend herself. Don't you feel terribly vulnerable?"

I pondered, "Um for the life of me I can't see why any country would "take over" Costa Rica today?  In a world of city states (lets say circa 1456 a.d.) there was a great need to accumulate more cities and territories in part because a city state was non viable and needed some economies of scale, room to graze more cows,  score additional slaves or just vent the frustrations of young men with too much aggression or allow old men to score points.  Nobody takes over other countries any more (well ALMOST nobody). Its truly passe, makes a mess of the local landmarks, interrupts the only thing that separates us from cavemen (schooling) and pisses off the neighborhood."

Nicaraguan Troops getting Wet On The Border

The idea continues today with our current president Laura Chin -chilla.  The country responds to aggression in peculiar and hilarious ways (link to blog posting on the border incident) - Nicaragua stole a bit of land from Costa Rica and Costa Rica thinks of it as a "fire on the border" and sent 14 fire fighters to patrol the fire. 

Costa Rican Firefighters Preparing to deploy to the border

I can only smile.  Skutch's words ring out today 70 years later "But I wished to do more than learn facts about living things that surrounded me here; I wished to dwell in harmony with them"

Moving to Costa Rica . . . a country at peace

We participate daily in the local gringo message board here Costa Rica Living, anyone is welcome to join if they have an interest in Costa Rica.

There is a caution I must add  . . . as you read the posts, these are opinions and are frequently wrong for various reasons.  For one, new arrivals to Costa Rica have different needs than the old hands.  For another the social climate (as well as the weather) is TOTALLY different in the loosey goosey Zona Sur than in the much more populated and organized Central Valley of Costa Rica.  What works for one rarely works the same for the other.

Here is a pretty good example of 2 perspectives about the exact same stretch of road.  One visitor wanted to know about the road in and out of San Vito close to the Panama border.  It just so happened I had been on that road the previous week . . . I replied:
"The road from the "highway" to San Vito is lovely
although the designer appears to have used a
corkscrew as her/his template . . . Going out the other
side of San Vito is also a nice winding road through
delightful countryside . . ."

Another member of Costa Rica Living then replied with:

"The hiway from Cd.Nielly is windy and uphill (and
dangerous in a rainstorm if you think in those terms)
and the one from the NW is full of potholes in
addition to the beautiful views, just so you know.
(Potholes at least before last Dec.)"

One member thinks the road is lovely and delightful
and another thinks it is potholed and dangerous.
Both views are of course true!

Actually the road looks just like this:

Recently a thread broke out about Costa Rica's lack of interest in war (as demonstrated by the abolition of the military in 1948 due to bad behaviour).  I wanted to share this thinking as the idea is what attracts many to Costa Rica in the first place.

A country at peace with the world.

The conversation started with this thought (obviously from someone who does not yet live here),

Q: "I am wrinkling my eyebrows now at the thought
that CR has no army. Do you really feel safe there?
I mean, there are idealogies that seek to dominate
the world and it seems to me that CR has no way
to defend herself. Don't you feel terribly vulnerable?

"I may have to watch out for the odd snake in the
woods, but am happy for not having to subsidize
a war machine. As it so happens we have already
too many arms with police and guatchiman."

 "Defend herself from whom? Nicaragua, Panama, ... ?
Most countries with military establishments have been
in more wars than CR has."

"I kinda like when this question surfaces.  We don't
have anything that anyone wants here. Neither Panama
nor Nicaragua need more terrain or more campesinos!
We nixed off shore drilling, so no one is going to invade
us for our oil.
We have no enemies since we remain neutral in international
affairs.
Our president Oscar Arias has made a massive effort over
the years to encourage other countries to spend the money
that a military requires on housing, education, medical care
and other things instead of weapons and soldiers. If people
are healthy, happy and reasonably well taken care of, they
don't do revolutions either.
Our need for a military is basically nonexistent. Many of our
neighbors in Central America use their armies to control the
population. We don't need to do that either.
I love that we don\t pay taxes for something we don't need."

"I have to admit to having a huge smile on my face
when I read this question.  Having no army was one
of the major deciding factors in my moving here in the
first place.
We have nothing which anyone else could want to take
and we have education and health-care instead!
What could be better??
I've never felt more safe anywhere."

 "Sorry, but i have a different take on what
could be taken from Costa Rica - and
it is happening now - "economically taken"
from a population made vulnerable by
tv and advertising, mesmerized by an
artificially-created need for owning
"things" that are manufactured and imported
from giant countries with giant armies - take
a guess which - and sold at artificially "cheap"
prices so these giant exporters can maintain
their trade deficits."

"Partially so, because we start to realize that we can either
suffer or master this situation. The solution towards a liveable
future will come from constructive and peaceful agreements
amongst ourselves. I don't have a cristal ball, but do believe
in our common sense (which needs time, like everything else)."

"My view of this is not that CR is a peace loving
nation but one taking advantage of circumstances,
many countries are willing to come to the defense
of CR should it be required, Israel, USA to mention
a few, who needs an army and BTW, what would
call all these uniformed "police" running around in
military uniforms, you tell me, police, military, army?????
Been to CR many times over the past 15 years and
decided there are other places that may be better.
Just check out the former leaders of the country,
where are they? The corruption rivals the USA. "

"Israel? What makes you think they would help Costa
Rica? Not saying you are incorrect but I have never
heard anyone mention any country other than the USA
who would come to the aid of Costa Rica should they
be invaded by a foreign power. I believe China might
but Israel? Can you tell me why you think Israel would?"

"God forbid that the Israeli Army ever shows up here...
I was in Israel in October.
There was a scuffle in Jerusalem so the army flew
maneuvers all around it's borders. Showing the neighbors
that they were serious, I suppose. But they also flew
maneuvers over all the 5 star hotels at the Dead Sea.
All day.  Flying lower than anything I ever seen outside
of an airplane Show. It was unnerving. It was loud.
It was unneccessary.
I seriously doubt than anyone will ever need to defend
us as there is no one to defend us from unless we change
the policy on offshore drilling. In whch case it is more likely
that the US would protect it's interests here. Because it has
been US companies that have shown an interest in our oil
and no one else to my knowledge.
They might actually have to if the problem were a takeover
for oil. But since we don't drill for oil here the likelihood is
about zero, maybe less.  Actually studies have been done
that show that most armies are used in part or wholly to
keep the citizens under control. Only a few large developed
countries send their soldiers to wars outside of their borders.
Far fewer than you might think."

 "I can think of one reason CR may need defense in
the future (if they can get serious about protecting its
most valuable resources). With the way the rest of
the world is going, clean water and oxygen may
become the most desirable things around.
Anyone for a fly fishing trip in the Aral Sea?"

 "Let me see if I have this correct, some country, such
as china were to take over Costa Rica they would respect 
the no exploration for oil in the coastal waters of CR????
I think not, they would begin exploration before you cloud
say jack rabbit, they are oil hungry, perhaps that may be part
of the reason they are courting CR now, hummmmn.
Fly fishing in the Aral Sea would be very successful, you
would be abuzz with success."

"Nope, I think IF some country took over there would
be no respect for anything (and especially if you already
built the refinery). But I just do not think the IF is likely.
Logistically it would be just too difficult for a distant nation
to accomplish it through invasion, would have to be done
from within. So IF the government wants to give the country
away, I am not sure that is the same as being taken over?
You get my drift.Either way, the kind of "taking over" that
could befall CR would not be defensible by an army. It
would likely require a civil militia, or an outraged population
at the voting booth. Or maybe just families preserving a
culture. Just my humble and maybe wishful opinion."

 "Um for the life of me I can't see why any country,
least of all China, would take over CR in 2010?
In a world of city states (lets say circa 1456 a.d.) there
was a great need to accumulate more cities and
territories in part because a city state was non viable and
needed some economies of scale, room to graze more
cows, a cute queen to attract and perhaps additional
slaves or something else they coveted.
Nobody takes over other countries any more (well
ALMOST nobody). Its truly passe, makes a mess of
the local landmarks and pisses off the neighbors.
Figueres was a very bright guy and got that all figured
out in 1948.

IMHO of course.
p.s. if my reading of the history is accurate, the total
layoffs as a result of disbanding the army and turning
the barracks into a cultural icon (I love that guys
style!) . . . was about 450 guys out of work. It wasn't
that big a job, but a distinct message to the future.
Correct me if I'm wrong on the numbers?"

PHOTO CREDITS:
All - PuraVidaHotel.com

1. Giant Cane Toad (AKA Bufo Marinus): more dangerous than the former Costa Rican military, this one found in the Pura Vida garden, about the size of a bread plate
2. Cute little 2 toed sloths, native to the southern Caribbean zone of Costa Rica . . . the mother may have been electrocuted as sloths sometimes can't tell a high tension cable from something pleasant to climb on
3. A map of the rea around San Vito, just north of the Panama border, check out the corkscrew road design.  This is also the road to the most excellent Wilson Botanical Gardens.  The Wilsons are buried there too.
4. Downtown Alajuela, our home town . . . though this is the second largest town in Costa Rica many of the locals do not use much from the so called developed world . . . supermarkets being one.  Many shop at the "underground" mercado central and the weekly Plaza Ferias (farmers market).
5. This is Lola the pig and unofficial mascot of the delightful Playa Avellanas - she is one contented and enormous pig (and lives at one of our favorite beaches).
6. The afternoon clouds mass in Alajuela near the Pura Vida Hotel
7. The Rhino beetle and its kin.
8. All of Costa Rica might, by some be considered a political backwater despite healthcare for all, no army and one of the hot spots on the planet for longevity.
9. Yes the U.S. built some bridges here as part of an effort to make sure the Panama Canal would be accessible by road in the event of who knows what . . .
10. The last real invasion attempt into Costa Rica was oddly enough managed by an American, William Walker in 1856
11. A delightful caterpillar.
12. A plaque commemorating the Costa Rican uprising that responded to the invasion with a campesino army of 5,000 . . . more people died in this war from yellow fever than from bullets.
13.  Lichen growing happily on a log, just the way things should be in the neo-tropics.