Final answer:
The passage highlights the significant issue of land distribution inequality in Latin American societies, rooted in the historical context of plantation agriculture and colonial exploitation. This has led to enduring socio-economic challenges, including a wide class divide and persistent poverty among agricultural laborers.
Step-by-step explanation:
The main problem underscored by the passage about Latin American societies is the inequality in land distribution and its consequences on the socio-economic fabric of the region. Land tenure issues arose from historical plantation agriculture, where colonial powers, such as England and Spain, took land from indigenous people for plantations. The hacienda system and the Spanish Land Grant system played significant roles in creating an oligarchy and an underclass, leading to frequent clashes over land reform in the 20th century.
Moreover, the model of industrialization in Latin America often left little investment for domestic projects, widening the class divide. The wealth was concentrated among the planter class and urban professionals, leaving agricultural laborers to struggle. This has led to mass migrations and ongoing challenges in achieving social and economic equality.
While urbanization and industrialization have lessened the direct impact of historical land grant systems in some areas, the legacy of this maldistribution of land continues to profoundly affect Latin American societies, perpetuating cycles of poverty and inhibiting widespread social mobility.