Development in Theory and Practice ― Latin American Perspectives

Whether Latin American countries get labeled "third world," "developing," "underdeveloped," "periphery," or some other term often depends on the theoretical perspective of economic development being advocated. Chilcote (economics and political science, U. of California at Riverside) collects 39 papers as an overview of the debates over development (or lack thereof) in Latin America. Theories of imperialism, world systems, capitalist globalization, dependency, socialism, and neoliberalism are all provided some time on the stage. Discussions of possible transitions, both capitalist and socialist, as discussed and the historical development of competing economic systems are examined. Annotation (c) Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Ronald H. Chilcote is professor of economics and political science at the University of California, Riverside, and managing editor of Latin American Perspectives.