EXPORT GROWTH AND THE DEPENDENCY DEBATE

First we should consider the theory: what was meant by dependency, how did it arise, and what criticisms were made of it? Why were historians generally sceptical of dependency theories? If dependency is not a persuasive explanation for Latin American underdevelopment on its own, then what other factors might explain the failure of Latin American countries to develop viable economic and political systems during the export boom.

The classic works (though each offers a different form of dependency theory) are:

F.H. Cardoso & E. Faletto, Dependency and Development in Latin America

A.G. Frank, Capitalism and Underdevelopment in Latin America

S.J. & B.H. Stein, The Colonial Heritage of Latin America

For commentaries see:

W.L. Bernecker & T. Fischer, ‘Rise and Decline of Latin American Dependency Theories’, Itinerario 22:4 (1998), 25-45

F.H. Cardoso, 'The Consumption of Dependency Theory in the United States', LARR 12:3 (1977), 7-24

T. Halperín Donghi, '"Dependency Theory" and Latin American Historiography', LARR, 17:1 (1982), 115-130

C. Kay, Latin American Theories of Development and Underdevelopment

J.L. Love, ‘The Origins of Dependency Analysis’, JLAS 22 (1990), 143-168

For surveys and collections influenced by dependency:

C. Abel & C.M. Lewis (eds.), Latin America, Economic Imperialism and the State, esp. introductions to each section

B. Albert, South America and the World Economy from Independence to 1930

E.B. Burns, The Poverty of Progress: Latin America in the Nineteenth Century

C. Marichal, A Century of Debt Crises in Latin America: from independence to the Great Depression

R. Thorp, 'Economy, 1914-1929', in L. Bethell (ed.), Latin America: economy and society, 1870-1930, pp. 57-82

*S.C. Topik & A. Wells (eds.), The Second Conquest of Latin America: coffee, henequen, and oil during the export boom, 1850-1930

For historians' and economists' critiques:

S. Haber, ‘Introduction: economic growth and Latin American economic historiography’, in S. Haber (ed.), How Latin America Fell Behind: essays on the economic histories of Brazil and Mexico, 1800-1914, pp. 1-33

N. Leff, 'Economic Retardation in Nineteenth-Century Brazil', Econ. Hist. Rev. 25 (1972), 489-507

C.M. Peláez, 'The Theory and Reality of Imperialism in the Coffee Economy of Nineteenth-Century Brazil', Econ. Hist. Rev. 29 (1976), 276-290

*D.C.M. Platt, 'Dependency in Nineteenth-Century Latin America: an historian objects', LARR 15:1 (1980), 113-130 [see also the debate with the Steins which follows this article]

D.C.M. Platt, 'Dependency and the Historian: further objections', in C. Abel & C.M. Lewis (eds.), Latin America, Economic Imperialism and the State, pp. 29-39

On the British

*R. Miller, Britain and Latin America in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries

A. Thompson, 'Informal Empire? An exploration in the history of Anglo-Argentine relations', JLAS 24 (1992), 419-436

*A.G. Hopkins, `Informal Empire in Argentina: an alternative view', JLAS 26 (1994), 469-484

For important recent explanations of Latin American problems:

A. Bauer, 'Industry and the Missing Bourgeoisie: consumption and development in Chile, 1850-1950', HAHR 70 (1990), 227-254

J.C. Brown, 'The Bondage of Old Habits in Nineteenth-Century Argentina', LARR 21:2 (1986), 3-32

A.M. Taylor, `External Dependence, Demographic Burdens, and Argentine Economic Decline after the Belle Epoque', Jnl. Econ. Hist. 52 (1992), 907-936