Nearly half of the Third World debt, or about $400 million, is owed by Latin America. How this has come about and what it means for Latin America's future are the subjects of twelve essays by experts on the Latin American debt problem. Despite their widely varied backgrounds and interests, the contributors aim toward a clearer understanding of the meaning of the debt problem and where it may be headed. A background sketch of the problem is provided, as is an account of attempts to cope with the protracted crisis. Detailed discussions follow of the largest debtors, including Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, and Chile. The situations of the small Central American and Caribbean states are also treated. Finally, the volume explores the question of whether sovereign lending is really good business for banks or a good solution for these countries.

This revised and updated edition of The Russian Dilemma is an outstanding survey and analysis of Russia's development from the end of Mongol rule to the present day. Emphasizing the country's Eurasian heritage in history and geopolitics, the volume explains how Russia's geographical situation has led to the creation of a vast empire--composed of many races, nationalities, and religions--around what was once only a small duchy. Robert Wesson clearly demonstrates how Russia is on the one hand, a European State and, on the other, an Eastern Empire. He describes how the country has drawn heavily on European ideas and technology in order to participate in the Western power system, and yet, politically, has remained an Eastern regime.