A Revolution in Arrears: The Development Crisis in Latin America

(Hardback)

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Wooton's principle thesis is that economic development in Latin America is suffering the distress of an unfinished revolution. Decades of unchanging patterns and policies of economic development have caused social disintegration. To the untrained eye, the region is seething with instability, economic disintegration and violent change. In seeking an answer to these questions, the author discusses what he terms a "development wedge". Comprised of economic fallacies by governments in the region, management practices both in the public and private sectors, and the policies of the international financial community, this "wedge" now impedes economic growth in Latin America. The author asserts that extracting this developmental wedge will require changes and fundamental reforms in the structural phenemenon of all the region's economies. Indeed, the author challenges many of the common assumptions about the developmental problems in Latin America. He defends the notion that development will not proceed until managers and entrepreneurs become key change agents in creating the conditions for a more dynamic market-driven model of development in Latin America.

Reviews

Wooton makes a spirited, intelligent argument for the role of Latin American managers and entrepreneurs in formulating progressive economic and political change in Latin America. He argues for pragmatic, problem-solving approaches to public and private issues, for more decentralized institutions, and for an optimism about Latin America's prospects. None of this is new, but Wooton's work is one of the best, presenting a well-developed case that recognizes the complexities of social and political implications. The book is informed, thoughtful, and humane; the author is critical of Chile's experiment combining brutal repression and free markets of US policy toward Latin America, which he contends has not worked for either side. Wooton's writing is lively, easy to read, and serious.-Choice
"Wooton makes a spirited, intelligent argument for the role of Latin American managers and entrepreneurs in formulating progressive economic and political change in Latin America. He argues for pragmatic, problem-solving approaches to public and private issues, for more decentralized institutions, and for an optimism about Latin America's prospects. None of this is new, but Wooton's work is one of the best, presenting a well-developed case that recognizes the complexities of social and political implications. The book is informed, thoughtful, and humane; the author is critical of Chile's experiment combining brutal repression and free markets of US policy toward Latin America, which he contends has not worked for either side. Wooton's writing is lively, easy to read, and serious."-Choice

Author Bio

LELAND M. WOOTON is an Associate Professor in the Edwin L. Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University.