Until fairly recently, many economists looked at Latin America with horror and dismay. Burdened by debt, and ravaged by hyperinflation and unemployment, it was often characterized as a financial disaster zone. Even now, many commentators consider that this resource-rich part of the world underperforms in comparison with other emerging economies. And how to explain stark differences within the area, such as the poor growth rates of the Atlantic-facing countries of Venezuela, Brazil, and Argentina compared with the Pacific Alliance? More precisely, how do the various Latin American economies function? And what are the future prospects for the region?

As serious research on and around Latin American economics continues to blossom, this new title from Routledge’s Critical Concepts in Economics series addresses these and other questions. In four volumes, the collection provides a much-needed compendium of foundational and the very best cutting-edge scholarship.

Latin American Economics is fully indexed and has a comprehensive introduction, newly written by the editor, which places the collected material in its historical and intellectual context. It is an essential work of reference and is destined to be valued by scholars and students as a vital one-stop research and pedagogic resource.