Carmelo Mesa-Lago is theDistinguished Service Professor Emeritus of economics and Latin American studies at the University of Pittsburgh and a former professor of international relations at Florida International University. His works on Latin America's social security and health care, the Cuban economy, and comparative economic systems have been published in eight languages and in thirty-two countries.

A remarkable work, even by the exacting standards Carmelo Mesa-Lago has set himself over his long and distinguished career. It offers depth as well as breadth combined with a mass of detailed statistical information that has been honed carefully to ensure comparability across countries. -- Victor Bulmer-Thomas Journal of Latin American Studies This ambitious and massive book is the pinnacle of Professor Mesa-Lago's long and distinguished career. It is a tour de force that is a must for serious scholars in the field of comparative economic systems. -- Katherine Terrell Journal of Comparative Economics This is a hugely impressive and informative work that examines an important economic and political issue... an ambitious and successful project, with a wealth of detail on economic policies in three different economic models. -- Bruce Wilson Latin American Politics and Society [This book] is a treasure trove of useful information for country specialists and generalists... an impressive volume. -- Kurt Weyland South Eastern Latin Americanist With the thoroughness, single-mindedness, and creativity that has characterized his scholarly work Mesa-Lago has tackled the very difficult topic of contemporary Latin American economic development. [His book] is accessible to advanced undergraduate and graduate students as well as to professionals. The profession owes a debt of gratitude to [him] for undertaking this monumental effort. -- Jorge F. Perez-Lopez Cuban Studies An interesting, groundbreaking, and substantial academic work. British Bulletin of Publications A thorough and rigorous work, with robust and convincing conclusions... a study of import and interest, not only for those who are involved with the three analyzed economies, but in general to any reader in developing countries interested in how to improve the combination of growth and equity with democracy. -- Joseph R. Ramos Nueva Sociedad, Caracas This book is recommendable because of the methodic stringency of the country comparisons (that is missing in many other comparative country studies), and for the amount of detailed information and data on the specific countries. [It also] closes holes in the economic statistics of the international organizations. -- Hartmut Sangmeister Internationale Politik und Gesellschaft This book will become a standard of reference for those interested in Latin America and in the methodology for comparative economic analysis. -- Juan A. B. Belt Cuba in Transition [This book] is a landmark, a new point of departure and shall be part of any future analysis. -- Alejandro De La Fuente Encuenro, Madrid [ Market, Socialist, and Mixed Economies] is in my view the best comparative study involving these three Latin America economies. Carmelo Mesa-Lago has succeeded in bringing together rich empirical evidence within an attractive conceptual framework. He has greatly advanced our understanding of the functioning of the socialist, mixed and market economies. -- Jan Svejnar Revista de Ciencias Sociales, Costa Rica

Carmelo Mesa-Lago is theDistinguished Service Professor Emeritus of economics and Latin American studies at the University of Pittsburgh and a former professor of international relations at Florida International University. His works on Latin America's social security and health care, the Cuban economy, and comparative economic systems have been published in eight languages and in thirty-two countries.

A remarkable work, even by the exacting standards Carmelo Mesa-Lago has set himself over his long and distinguished career. It offers depth as well as breadth combined with a mass of detailed statistical information that has been honed carefully to ensure comparability across countries. -- Victor Bulmer-Thomas Journal of Latin American Studies This ambitious and massive book is the pinnacle of Professor Mesa-Lago's long and distinguished career. It is a tour de force that is a must for serious scholars in the field of comparative economic systems. -- Katherine Terrell Journal of Comparative Economics This is a hugely impressive and informative work that examines an important economic and political issue... an ambitious and successful project, with a wealth of detail on economic policies in three different economic models. -- Bruce Wilson Latin American Politics and Society [This book] is a treasure trove of useful information for country specialists and generalists... an impressive volume. -- Kurt Weyland South Eastern Latin Americanist With the thoroughness, single-mindedness, and creativity that has characterized his scholarly work Mesa-Lago has tackled the very difficult topic of contemporary Latin American economic development. [His book] is accessible to advanced undergraduate and graduate students as well as to professionals. The profession owes a debt of gratitude to [him] for undertaking this monumental effort. -- Jorge F. Perez-Lopez Cuban Studies An interesting, groundbreaking, and substantial academic work. British Bulletin of Publications A thorough and rigorous work, with robust and convincing conclusions... a study of import and interest, not only for those who are involved with the three analyzed economies, but in general to any reader in developing countries interested in how to improve the combination of growth and equity with democracy. -- Joseph R. Ramos Nueva Sociedad, Caracas This book is recommendable because of the methodic stringency of the country comparisons (that is missing in many other comparative country studies), and for the amount of detailed information and data on the specific countries. [It also] closes holes in the economic statistics of the international organizations. -- Hartmut Sangmeister Internationale Politik und Gesellschaft This book will become a standard of reference for those interested in Latin America and in the methodology for comparative economic analysis. -- Juan A. B. Belt Cuba in Transition [This book] is a landmark, a new point of departure and shall be part of any future analysis. -- Alejandro De La Fuente Encuenro, Madrid [ Market, Socialist, and Mixed Economies] is in my view the best comparative study involving these three Latin America economies. Carmelo Mesa-Lago has succeeded in bringing together rich empirical evidence within an attractive conceptual framework. He has greatly advanced our understanding of the functioning of the socialist, mixed and market economies. -- Jan Svejnar Revista de Ciencias Sociales, Costa Rica