What were the long term effects of the Latin American revolutions?

Of course, the major long term outcome of these
revolutions was the creation of a number of independent nations in Latin America. 
However, the revolutions had less positive impacts.  I think you can argue that they
helped lead to the poverty and instability that has plagued many Latin American
countries.

The revolutions led to political systems that
were dominated by strong men, or caudillos.  These systems were not interested in
providing equality or democracy.  Because of this, these new countries tended to become
places where the powerful few (often of European descent) dominated the poor and
powerless many.

So the revolutions of Latin America allowed
the countries to become independent, but they also planted the seeds of the poverty and
instability that has continued into recent times.