Arising from the Ford Foundation Southampton project on North/South security relations, this study focuses on the concept of security in Central America and the Caribbean, and on perceptions by states in the region of the rival claims of political independence, economic well-being, national security, and regional stability. Specific case studies are combined with theoretical analysis in this integrated assessment of the Central American situation that includes contributions from leading scholars in the United Kingdom, United States, and Central America.

Earthquakes, guerrillas and military coups hit the headlines; the underlying social order passes almost unnoticed. As we move towards the end of Latin America's second century of independence, much about this fascinating area remains a mystery. Yet Latin America has led the way for the Third World to demand full equality for its citizens. In Latin America in the Twentieth Century two specialists in Latin American politics present a new view of this vital region, its frustrations, its setbacks and its possibilities.