ENGLISH

The Political Economy of Central America since 1920

By Victor Bulmer-Thomas

Book information

Publisher
Cambridge University Press
Year
1987
ISBN
0521348390, 9780521348393
LCC
HC141 .B78 1987
Language
english
Format
PDF
Filesize
14 MB (14446438 bytes)
Series
Cambridge Latin American Studies
Pages
444\441
Topic
Education
Time added
2011-06-04 13:46:07

Description

In this book Victor Bulmer-Thomas uses his previously unpublished estimates of the national accounts to explore economic and social development in the five Central American republics from 1920. He examines in detail variations in economic policy between countries which help to account for differences in performance. The major political developments are woven into the analysis and linked to changes in internal and external conditions. Growth under liberal oligarchic rule in the 1920s, heavily dependent on exports of coffee and bananas, was accompanied by modest reform programmes. The 1929 depression, which hit the region hard, undermined most of the reforms and ushered in a period of dictatorial rule in all republics except Costa Rica. The Second World War, particularly after the entry of the United States, at first strengthened the dictatorships, but ultimately produced challenges to rule by authoritarian caudillos. The social upheavals accompanying the post-war export-led boom forced governments in each republic to address the question of economic, social and political reform.

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