Argentina has most of the characteristics that various theories of democracy postulate as prerequisites for achieving liberal democracy: an urban industrial economy, key economic resources under domestic control, the absence of a peasantry, the absence of ethnic or religious cleavages, relatively high levels of education, strong interest groups, an

Economic developments in Argentina over the last half-century present a puzzle to observers: Before World War II, the nation's per capita income and standard of living were comparable to those in countries like Canada and Australia; today, Argentina is submerged in deep economic, social, and political crises. In analyzing the events that led to this reversal, the author enhances our understanding of the phenomenon of arrested economic development in Argentina and similar developing countries. Dr. Peralta-Ramos approaches the problem with a dialectical interpretation of contemporary...