ABSTRACT

Latin America is one of the most intriguing parts of the world. The region’s illustrious history, culture, and geography are famous internationally, but in terms of economics, Latin America has been generally associated with problems. For many, the combination of a resource rich region and poor economic conditions has been a puzzle.

This extensively revised and updated second edition of Latin American Economic Development continues to provide the most up to date exploration of why the continent can be considered to have underperformed, how the various Latin American economies function, and the future prospects for the region. The book addresses the economic problems of Latin America theme by theme.

Changes and new features in this new edition include:

  • Expanded coverage of how institutions affect economic growth in Latin America
  • Many new boxes and questions for review and discussion
  • New material on how climate change affects the region
  • Updated material to reflect the ongoing macroeconomic stability of the past decade
  • A new chapter on the political economy of Latin America

The book provides a comprehensive text for undergraduate economics courses on Latin America, and is also suitable for use by students in other disciplines looking for a wide-ranging guide to the region. This book will continue to be an invaluable resource for undergraduates looking at Latin American economics, growth, and development.

chapter 1|15 pages

Latin America and the world economy

chapter 2|29 pages

Latin American economic history

chapter 3|38 pages

Economic growth and Latin America

chapter 5|21 pages

Latin America and primary commodities

chapter 6|22 pages

Import substitution in Latin America

chapter 7|33 pages

Latin American trade policy

chapter 8|23 pages

Exchange rate policy

chapter 9|19 pages

Financing current account deficits

chapter 10|17 pages

Macroeconomic policy in Latin America

chapter 11|18 pages

Macroeconomic stability

chapter 12|17 pages

Poverty and inequality

chapter 13|15 pages

Economic policy debates in Latin America