Contemporary Latin America Development and Democracy beyond the Washington Consensus

by Panizza, Francisco

• ISBN13: 9781842778531
• ISBN10: 1842778536
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2009-07-15
• Publisher: Zed Books

Summary

Latin America has changed dramatically over the past few years. While the 1990s were dominated by the political orthodoxy of the Washington Consensus and the political uniformity of centre right governments the first decade of the new century has seen the emergence of a plurality of economic and political alternatives. In an overview of the history of the region over the past twenty-five years this book traces the intellectual and political origins of the Washington Consensus, assesses its impact on democracy and economic development and discusses whether the emergence of a variety of left-wing governments in the region represents a clear break with the politics and policies of the Washington Consensus. Clearly written and rigorously argued, the book will be of interest to academics, students of Latin American politics and anybody interested in understanding contemporary Latin America.

Author Biography

Francisco Panizza is Senior Lecturer in Latin American Politics at the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Table of Contents

Introduction * Paradigm Found * The Organic Intellectuals of the Washington Consensus * The Ascent of Free Market Economics * The Promises of Democracy * The Underside of Democracy * Paradigm Lost:  The Unravelling of the Washington Consensus * The Post-Washington Consensus and the Search for Alternatives * Varieties of the Left (I):  A Latin American Social Democracy? * Varieties of the Left (II):  The National Popular Alternative *  Conclusions