This volume is a compilation of essays that reviews the current status of agricultural progress in Latin America and evaluates its prospects into the 1990s. Various experts on Latin American affairs offer analyses that examine how economic and political changes over the past two decades, both regional and worldwide, have resulted in an imbalance between stagnation of output growth and modernization. Convinced that stability is vital to agricultural prosperity within the region, this study defines the major obstacles to this goal and develops new strategies to successfully meet the challenge. Although the work's identification of the issues that are common to the entire geographical area is of significant value, the author of each essay brings his unique experience within the particular country to the study, resulting in a review of the diverse agricultural conditions that exist in each country, thereby hoping to stimulate further debate over their specific management. Each chapter studies a different country with reference to prices, technology, government policies, land tenure, and labor markets. The effect of increased democratization and the continuing changes within the major nations of the world figure prominently, and together with numerous illustrative tables, the articles provide up-to-date data that help discern current trends in agricultural growth both within each state and the entire region.

This important new text provides a clear, comprehensive, and accessible overview of major economic issues facing Latin America today, including balance of payments problems, inflation, stabilization, poverty, inequality, and land reform. It captures trends and common issues and at the same time illustrates the diversity of national experiences.Each chapter centers around an economic problem from such new topics as debt to more enduring issues like poverty and agrarian reform - and presents major economic theories on the causes and solutions to the problem. Complex equations and formulas are omitted; instead, the discussion focuses on the underlying logic of contending policy prescriptions. Cardoso and Helwege provide numerous cross-country examples and tables to demonstrate how individual countries are affected differently by economic trends or policies, gradually building a sense of the complexity of the Latin American economy and the policy implications behind economic solutions. Chapters also include helpful summaries and ideas on what the future may hold.Both authors are at Tufts University. Eliana Cardoso is Associate Professor at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and Ann Helwege is Assistant Professor in the Department of Urban and Environmental Policy.