The collapse of political institutions and the failure of economic development models in Central America have turned the region into an ideological battleground. Central Americans are now debating— and fighting over—different conceptions of how to constitute society, the best way to organize production and to distribute benefits, and the political structures best suited to protecting the region's security and ensuring its future prosperity. This book examines die economic and political roots of the current crisis, reviewing the different strategies governments have adopted to cope with...