54 SOCIAL SCIENTIST At the economic plane, the development of industry, however marginal, resulted in the growth of urban centres and the emergence of indigenous elites. But hopes of national resurgence were belied as the U S intervention and exploitation of the natural resources of Latin America advanced in a systematic manner, The situation was complicated by political violence and the crutailment of democratic rights. A false image of development of Hispanic America was projected contrary to its actual underdevelopment. Such naked conditions prevalent in society were bound to have their reflection in the works of art and literature. The shift from a regionalistic or localised view of problems and conflicts to a view of reality in a wider perspective, i. e., in the framework of the correlation of forces at the international plane, became inevitable. Writers were neither impressed nor convinced by the euphoria of 'progress' sought to be created in the continent. They were now able to discern the danger posed by the conditions of chaos and instability that engulfed their region. The threat of neocolonialism became abundantly real and clear to them, particularly in view of the penetration of the U S economic and cultural influence in the life of the peoples of Latin America. The problem of Man versus Nature, which had hitherto dominated the literature of the continent, naturally receded into the background, making way for the portrayal of man caught in the mire of moral and socio-economic conflict. The situation in Colombia was particularly desperate as the country was being torn asunder by the stresses and strains of violent crises pervading all spheres of life. Art and culture were no exception. After The Whirlpool (La Voragine) by Rivera, Colombian literature was obviously on the wane. Colombia had always been a "bastion of Catholic conservatism, political traditionalism and literary purism". Its writers had been either grammarians or academicians. Barring a few exceptions, the country had been notorious as the source of some of the worst writings to appear in the continent, being dominated mainly by extravagantly exotic, erotic and even pornographic writings. In the name of realism the novel of violence held sway for some time. As could be expected, this literature confined itself to some superfluous, shallow and even anecdotal themes, and yellow journalistic chronicles. The victory of the Cuban Revolution in 1959 opened a new chapter in the history of the Latin American people. It opened new vistas, aroused new hopes and aspirations. But more importantly, the Cuban Revolution focussed the attention of the world on South America, which had remained isolated, if not insulated, thus far. The people of the world were able to appreciate the immense potential, both material and moral, that this hitherto obscure continent held for mankind. The relatively unknown, safe and secret haven for U S exploitation was laid bare before the world by the Cuban Revolution. This, in turn, increased the demand for all things Latin American,