Latin American Development and Public Policy

by Stuart S. Nagel

This book analyses various important aspects of methodology and substance regarding economic, social, and political policy in Latin America directed toward achieving more effective, efficient, and equitable societal institutions. The chapters are authored by experts from within Latin America and also from Latin America research institutes elsewhere. The book combines practical policy significance with insightful causal and prescriptive generalizations. The emphasis is on the role of governmental decision-making and the important (but secondary) role of the marketplace, social groups, and engineering. Specific sets of chapters include those on economic policy, such as one on the crisis in the welfare state, and another on consensus-building in developing international economic communities. Social policy chapters emphasize dealing with problem of the poor, especially health care, but also other aspects of poverty and ethnic groups. The section on technology policy deals with developing e