In 1700, Latin America and British North America were roughly equal in economic terms. Yet over the next three centuries, the United States gradually pulled away, and today the gap is huge. Why did this happen? Was it culture? Geography? Economic policies? Natural resources? Differences in political development? The question has occupied policymakers and scholars for decades, and the debate remains intense.
In Falling Behind, Francis Fukuyama, acclaimed author of The End of History and America at the Crossroads, gathers together some of the world's leading scholars on the subject to explain the nature of the gap and how it came to be. Tracing the histories of development over the past four hundred years and focusing in particular on the policies of the last fifty years, the contributors conclude that while many factors are important, economic policies and weak institutions are at the root of the divide. Interestingly, while the gap is deeply rooted in history, they show that there have been times when it narrowed as a consequence of policy choices in nations such as Chile, Mexico, and Brazil, and that there has been genuine institutional reform across the region. Bringing to light these policy success stories, Fukuyama and the contributors lay out a path for Latin American nations so that they can improve their prospects for economic growth and stable political development.
Given that so many attribute the gap to either vast cultural differences or the consequences of U.S. economic domination, Falling Behind is sure to stir debate. And, given the importance of the subject in light of economic globalization and the immigration debate, its expansive, in-depth portrait of thehemisphere's development will be a welcome addition to the conversation.

Opposing the Money Lenders - The Struggle to Abolish Interest Slavery is a collection of writings from some of the most determined fighters against usury and the Central Banking system during the 20th Century. Those included are Arthur Nelson Field, John A. Lee, John Hargrave, Ezra Pound, Father Charles Coughlin, and Gottfried Feder, who fought and inspired mass movements that struggled to liberate their nations from the forces of what one - Gottfried Feder - aptly called "Mammonism."

The subject of the supply of our money, and who controls it, is the greatest social issue that confronts humanity today. It is the "Hidden Hand" behind history. Without dealing with the problems of banking and usury, without a people having control over its own means of credit and exchange, there can be no genuine nationhood, and no real freedom, whether personal or national.

Almost every individual, family, nation, indeed most of the world, is today in thrall to the money lenders. Despite advances in mechanisation and technology, people are working longer hours, and are more enslaved to the economic treadmill than were their ancestors in Medieval times. At the same time, despite mass education, people today understand the economic and financial system far less than their parents and grandparents. Opposing the Money Lenders examines our parasitic financial system and the means by which it might be replaced.

This volume presents a study of the Second World War as a period of crisis which brought about significant changes in the relationship between business and the state. The requirements of the war economy increased the power of the state but also showed the limits of such power. The comparative approach of this volume permits the exploration of such questions as the extent to which corporatist forms of cooperation between business and the state were created in wartime conditions; the effectiveness of the control exerted by such institutions; how far conditions of crisis affected the forms of economic organisation that emerged; and the long-term consequences of the emergence of new forms of economic organisation.

This book examines the pattern of growth of the Spanish economy in the last few decades, and studies the causes of its labor productivity, and the special features characterizing business cycles in Spain.

Volume 21 of Research in Economic History is a substantial contribution in several respects. Its heft reflects the continuing increase in quality submissions to this series, which invites (although it does not require) authors to take advantage of less stringent space limitations than is typically true in a journal article.

The papers offer regional diversity: two papers with principal focus on England, one on Germany, one on Australia, and three on the United States. There are some commonalities in themes: we have three papers on 1931, three papers that have something to do with banks, two on urban economic history, and two on wage stickiness, albeit in different countries and addressing labor markets several centuries apart. What can be said of all of these inquiries, however, is that each involves the careful consideration of quantitative and qualitative data within a well articulated theoretical framework. And in almost every case, we have original analysis of primary source material.

It's a pleasure in this volume to publish work of scholars at all stages of their careers. We have contributions ranging from those of recently minted Ph.D.s to those of distinguished senior scholars. Each of these articles is written with care, polish, and often passion. Academic disciplines flourish - and economic history is no exception -- when scholars immerse themselves in their subjects and combine this with commitments to logic and evidence, detail, and clarity of exposition. The consequences are the fascinating papers and great scholarship evident here.

We look forward to continuing to publish innovative, well written and carefully considered contributions to economichistory, providing a niche which complements outlets such as the Journal of Economic History, Explorations in Economic History, and the Economic History Review. Potential contributors are urged to contact the editor for information on submission requirements.

This thoroughly revised and updated edition of Needler's well-known text brings his comprehensive examination and analysis of Mexican politics up through the 1994 Mexican elections. Providing historical and geographical background, the work examines economics and politics in the light of the structural changes attending the adoption of the neo-liberal economic model. Also addressed are the implications of NAFTA, the Zapatista rebellion, and the assassination of Luis Donaldo Colosio, among other current political issues. An ideal text for students of comparative politics, Latin American studies, and recent Latin American history.

Without a means of crediting and debiting accounts worldwide and the non-physical transfer of funds, the rapid global economic integration of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries would have been impossible. It is the globalization of the banking system, much of which, particularly in Asia, had its roots in the nineteenth century, that helped facilitate increased human mobility, the exchange of commodities and manufactures, and the simplified transfer of funds.
This volume examines the origins, growth, and business practices of European banks in Asia, and the development of Asian (notably Japanese and Hong Kong) banks, and their operations on an international stage, and in doing so, provides important new detail and analysis of economic globalization. It draws on the archival documentation of main British, French, and Japanese banks involved and provides analysis from a range of historical viewpoints, including global banking strategy, monetary regimes, financial markets, international trade, labor immigration, and the development of communication tools.

John Kenneth Galbraith was an eminent economist and proponent of change. The contributors to the book further his analysis on the evolution of capitalism; taking into account changes to the general economic climate since the publication of J.K. Galbraith's main thesis, they outline new ideas which form fertile ground for new research.The book begins with a penetrating analysis of the main features of today's capitalism and in particular the conflict between shareholders and managers. It moves on to focus on the consequences of globalization in the decision-making processes of large corporations and represents an important step in the development of a theory of fraud and corruption within corporations. In the final part, the authors address and explore the consequences of the domination of influential groups over major social and political decisions, on the blurred boundaries between the public and the private sectors and its consequences in the fields of technological regulation and the evolution of public services. In so doing, the authors question the meaning and power of democracy in today's society. Innovation, Evolution and Economic Change will appeal to a wide readership and audience of economists, policy makers and political organization.

This study of a specific industry's survival and growth in three countries is a useful resource for research on industrial development in 19th century Europe. Presenting the history of three major cutlery districts in Western Europe during the 19th century - Sheffield in England, Bergische land (Solingen and Remscheid) in Germany, and Eskilstuna in Sweden - the author focuses on each region's industrial development in relation to its socio-cultural context. This work challenges the flexible specialisation thesis often used to explain the seeming persistence of small-scale and decentralised production within the cutlery industry since the 19th century, and argues that growing businesses had to develop competitive strategies for control over important resources.

This is an innovative analysis of the relationship between women's economic opportunity and marriage in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries. It is based on an intensive study of York and Yorkshire, but also utilizes evidence from other parts of England and continental Europe. P. J. P. Goldberg explores the role of women in the economy and the part that marriage played in their lives. Importantly, he challenges the Wrigley and Schofield thesis of nuptiality: his analysis of the demography of marriage demonstrates that in late medieval Yorkshire, women participated strongly in the labour force, deferring marriage or avoiding it entirely. This is a stimulating and intelligent book, which makes an important contribution to our understanding of medieval ways of life.

The Global Financial Crisis is acknowledged to be the most severe economic downturn since the 1930s, and one that is unique in its underlying causes, its scope, and its wider social, political and economic implications. This volume explores some of the ethical issues that it has raised.

Covering events such as banking crises, economic bubbles, natural disasters, trade embargoes, and depressions, this single-volume encyclopedia of major U.S. financial downturns provides readers with an event-driven understanding of the evolution of the American economy. The United States has fairly recently experienced the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. But crippling financial crises are hardly unusual: economic emergencies have occurred throughout American history and can be seen as a cyclical and "normal" (if undesirable) aspect of an economic system. This encyclopedia supplies objective, accessible, and interesting entries on 100 major U.S. financial crises from the Colonial era to today that have had tremendous domestic impact-and in many cases, global impact as well. The entries explore the history and impact of major economic events, including banking crises, economic shortages, recessions, national strikes and labor upheavals, natural resource shortages, panics, real estate bubbles, social upheavals, and the collapse of specific American industries such as rubber and steel production. Students will find this book an essential ready-reference on key events in American economic history that documents how and why these events led to significant financial and economic problems throughout the United States and around the globe. Supplies up-to-date information on financial crises from crashes to natural disasters that is relevant to high school and college students in history, government, business, and economics classes Offers a look at causes, responses, and ultimate outcomes of financial crises decades later, allowing readers to perceive unintended consequences of free trade agreements or new technology Documents how events far outside average American citizens' awareness can culminate in a financial crisis that greatly impacts their everyday lives, and the cyclical nature of the nation's economy Includes key primary documents, a chronology of key dates, an appendix of relevant sources, and an index organized by category, company names, and personal names

With the fall of the Soviet Union, the political environment in Europe has changed dramatically, and security requirements for NATO countries have undergone a radical transformation. Yet, as illustrated by the recent bombing of Kosovo, restructuring of the defense industrial sectors in Europe lags behind the United States. The most egregious example is the armored vehicle sector, particularly in Britain, Germany, and France. Identifying five conditions necessary for restructuring the armored vehicle industry, this book looks at the absence or presence of these economic conditions in each of these countries and analyzes the impact on the armored vehicle industry.

Comparing these countries to the United States, where the armored vehicle industry has restructured as fully and as ruthlessly as the defense aerospace and electronic industries, the author shows private ownership, flexible capital and labor markets, a profitable scale of production, a lack of commercial diversification, and an active state defense industrial policy to be necessary prerequisites. All five factors exist in the United States, whereas two or more are missing in the European countries, retarding development of this industry.

Recently there has been an explosive growth of interest in Latin American markets, above and beyond Mexico. Over the years, business executives and academics from the industrialized world seldom paid serious attention to South America for its market potential. The ratification in 1994 of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) among the United States, Canada, and Mexico awakened them to look to the south of the US border. Then exactly one year later, on January 1, 1995, MERCOSUR (Mercado Com??n del Sur) went into effect among the four countries in the Southern Cone region of South America - Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, and Uruguay. Subsequently, in June 1996, Chile and Bolivia agreed to join MERCOSUR, extending the frontiers of the South American trading bloc. Chile's participation took effect on October 1 1996, and Bolivia's formal association with MERCOSUR began on January 1, 1997. Indeed, MERCOSUR's goal is to incorporate all South American countries by 2005 before linking up with NAFTA.
This book offers in-depth analysis of trade and liberalization movements in Latin America, examines managerial issues related to collaborating with Latin American companies, and explores macro- and micro-financial implications of investing in Latin American countries.

James Carville famously reminded Bill Clinton throughtout 1992 that "it's the economy, stupid". Yet, for the last forty years, historians of modern America have ignored the economy to focus on cultural, social, and political themes, from the birth of modern feminism to the fall of the Berlin Wall. Now a scholar has stepped forward to place the economy back in its rightful place, at the centre of his historical narrative. In More, Robert M. Collins reexamines the history of the United States from Franklin Delano Roosevelt to Bill Clinton, focusing on the federal government's determined pursuit of economic growth. After tracing the emergence of growth as a priority during FDR's presidency, Collins explores the record of successive administrations, highlighting both their success in fostering growth, and its partisan uses. Collins reveals that the obsession with growth appears not only as a matter of policy, but as an expression of Cold War ideology--both a means to pay for the arms build-up and proof of the superiority of the United States' market economy. But under Johnson, this enthusiasm sparked a crisis: spending on Vietnam unleashed runaway inflation, while the nation struggled with the moral consequences of its prosperity, reflected in books such as John Kenneth Galbraith's The Affluent Society and Rachel Carson's Silent Spring. More continues up to the end of the 1990s, as Collins explains the real impact of Reagan's policies and astutely assesses Clinton's "disciplined growthmanship," which combined deficit reduction and a relaxed but watchful monetary policy by the Federal Reserve. Writing with eloquence and analytical clarity, Robert M. Collins offers a startlingly new framework for understanding the history of postwar America.

A challenging and informed examination of the links between the general business environment and the operations, decisions, and organizations of firms. O'Sullivan explores the links between the two 'hot' issuesDScorporate governance and innovationDS.

In War, Entrepreneurs, and the State, Jeff Fynn-Paul (Leiden) assembles an internationally acclaimed selection of authors to push forward the debate on the role of entrepreneurs in making war and building states in Europe and the Ottoman Empire. Topics covered include logistics, supply, recruitment, and the finance of war. Chapters have been carefully commissioned with an eye towards complementarity. In an introduction co-written with Marjolein 't Hart and Griet Vermeesch, Fynn-Paul challenges existing discourses of military entrepreneurialism. A new benchmark is proposed: did states choose to work with entrepreneurs, or to restrict their activities and subvert the market? From the introduction and the individual chapters, a new more expansive vision of the military entrepreneur emerges. Contributors are: Carlos Alvarez-Nogal, Pepijn Brandon, William Caferro, Stephen Conway, Thomas Goossens, Aaron Graham, Rhoads Murphey, David Parrott, Helen Paul, Guy Rowlands, Kahraman Sakul, Marjolein 't Hart, Andrea Thiele, and Rafael Torres Sanchez.

This volume of essays contains 16 papers the author has written over the last 40 years on various aspects of the life and work of John Maynard Keynes and Nicholas Kaldor. It covers both theoretical and applied topics and highlight the continued relevance of Keynesian and Kaldorian ideas for understanding the functioning of capitalist economies.

This ground-breaking book provides the first English-language survey of economic thought in modern Japan. Significantly, it offers both a detailed study of economic thought from 1600 to 1945 and a nuanced analysis of Western and Asian perspectives on the field of Japanese economic history. Expertly translated from Japanese and written by leading scholars in the field, this exciting study includes: * A novel approach to economic thought which contextualizes the core values of thinkers across the period * A comparative analysis of Japanese economic history which looks at the continuities across the Meiji divide * The extensive use of archival sources, many of which were previously unavailable in English A History of Economic Thought in Japan, 1600 - 1945 serves as a case study of how Western economic ideas spread to non-Western regions and interacted with indigenous ideas. It will therefore be of immense value to both scholars of economic thought and those seeking a deeper understanding of the moral, intellectual, and societal forces that shaped modern Japan.

This book provides an analysis of the global economic crisis from an Asian perspective. It examines the impacts of the policy measures adopted, the remaining challenges in rebalancing the global economy, the next steps in regional economic integration in Asia, and issues related to reform of the international financial architecture.

Ships on maps in the sixteenth century were signs of European conquest of the seas. Cartographers commemorated the new found dominion over the oceans by putting the most technically advanced ships of the day all over oceans, estuaries, rivers, and lakes on all kinds of maps. Ships virtually never appeared on maps before 1375. The dramatic change from medieval practice had roots in practical problems but also in exploration and new geographical knowledge. Map makers produced beautiful works of art and decorated them with the accomplishments which set Europeans apart from their classical past and from all the other peoples of the world. "Ships on Maps" investigates how, long admired but little understood, the many ships big and small that came to decorate maps in the age when sailors began to sail around the world were an integral part of the information summarizing a new age.

This book analyzes the processes of proletarianization and urbanization undergone by the St. Petersburg industrial working class from its inception in the early nineteenth-century up until 1914. Attention is focused on the severing of workers' ties to the village and the land. To that end, the thesis examines local conditions in the sending areas and traces the history of factory work in the Russian capital by workers from different provinces.