Juan E Corradi - Böcker

This book explains the varied political roles played by agrarian and industrial groups in the modernization of Argentina. It seeks to account for the attainment of a high level of social complexity that has not, however, been matched by steady economic growth or political stability. What have been the determinants of economic growth in Argentina? In what sense does its capitalist development differ from that of other advanced societies? Under what conditions has that development taken place? The answers to these questions, states Professor Corradi, are woven into a picture of a society that follows a path flanked by authoritarianism and political disorder.

This book explains the varied political roles played by agrarian and industrial groups in the modernization of Argentina. It seeks to account for the attainment of a high level of social complexity that has not, however, been matched by steady economic growth or political stability. What have been the determinants of economic growth in Argentina? In what sense does its capitalist development differ from that of other advanced societies? Under what conditions has that development taken place? The answers to these questions, states Professor Corradi, are woven into a picture of a society that follows a path flanked by authoritarianism and political disorder.

Despite the emergence of fragile democracies in Latin America in the 1980s, a legacy of fear and repression haunts this region. This provocative volume chronicles the effect of systematic state terror on the social fabric in Chile, Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay from the 1960s to the mid-1980s. The contributors, primarily Latin American scholars, examine the deep sense of insecurity and the complex social psychology of people who live in authoritarian regimes. There is Argentina, where the brutal repression of the 1976 coup almost completely smothered individuals who might once have opposed government practices, and Uruguay, where the government forced the population into neutrality and isolation and cast a silent pall on everyday life. Accounts of repression and resistance in Chile and Brazil are also vividly presented. The denial and rationalization by citizens in all four countries can only be understood in the context of the generalized fear and confusion created by the violent military campaigns, which included abductions, torture, and disappearances of alleged terrorists. The recent transition to civilian rule in these countries has spotlighted their powerful legacy of fear.These important essays reveal disturbing insights into how fear is generated, legitimized, accommodated, and resisted among people living under totalitarian rule.

The book examines why and how global capitalism has entered a phase of unsustainable crises of accumulation and legitimacy, and looks at various solutions to such crises, from mild reform to radical overhaul.The book then examines the various scenarios from a Latin American perspective, arguing that different countries follow diverse paths in adapting to the crisis - with significantly different outcomes. Their common challenge is how to achieve economic growth with social inclusion.

"Damned if you do; damned if you don’t" voices the strategic impasse the USA finds itself in today. Liberal interventionism and globalization—the two pillars of the international system—seem not to work. Explaining the inability of Western powers to enact wise initiatives, Corradi explores the de-coupling of political systems: we are connected with each other but disconnected from policy makers. The paradox of increased connectivity and collective disengagement sets a perverse dynamic between publics and elites, with a serious impact on world affairs. Corradi analyzes the social bases of present dilemmas and how incipient decline can be managed, and paralysis overcome.

"Damned if you do; damned if you don’t" voices the strategic impasse the USA finds itself in today. Liberal interventionism and globalization—the two pillars of the international system—seem not to work. Explaining the inability of Western powers to enact wise initiatives, Corradi explores the de-coupling of political systems: we are connected with each other but disconnected from policy makers. The paradox of increased connectivity and collective disengagement sets a perverse dynamic between publics and elites, with a serious impact on world affairs. Corradi analyzes the social bases of present dilemmas and how incipient decline can be managed, and paralysis overcome.