Latin America After Neoliberalism: Turning the Tide in the 21st Century? - Softcover

Eric Hershberg is Senior Adviser at the Social Science Research Council and Adjunct Professor at Columbia University. He also chairs the board of NACLA. He lives in Brooklyn.

Fred Rosen is a former director of NACLA and current contributing editor of the NACLA Report on the Americas. He lives in Mexico.

The recent rise of progressive politicians in Latin America represents a sea change for the continent away from unwavering faith in previous reforms and unfettered United States dominance. This book places itself at the turning point, looking back at the failure of previous reforms and forward to how the new progressive movements might succeed or fail. Written by prominent scholars, analysts and writers covering the region, the 14 essays include well-researched and organized arguments against open-market reforms. The essays show how, even as free trade and economic integration has helped stimulate certain economies, the gap between the rich and poor has grown and stability declined. While the authors largely blame the recommended reforms of the U.S.-influenced World Bank and International Monetary Fund, a few of them also hold the local oligarchies responsible for the concentration of wealth. The essays also emphasize that one of the biggest problems with neoliberal reforms—as well as approaches to violence, multiculturalism, and labor and feminist organizing—is the "one size fits all mentality." In the Latin America "after neoliberalism" presented here, grand ideologies and theories are put aside as the individual needs of countries are considered. (Nov.)
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