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List of contents
Introduction -- The Global Economy and Austerity -- Debt, Austerity, and Latin America in the New International Division of Labor -- The National Economy and Austerity -- Democracy and Inflation, in the Light of the Brazilian Experience -- The Fall of Labor’s Share in Income and Consumption: A New “Growth Model” for Argentina? -- The Consequences of Austerity -- The Demographic Consequences of Austerity in Latin America -- Austerity and Regional Development Strategy in Argentina and Latin America -- The Polarization of Class and Space in the Contemporary Latin American City -- Heterodox Shocks and the Political Economy of Democratic Transition in Argentina and Brazil -- Responses to Austerity Policies -- Austerity and Trade Unions in Latin America -- The Response to Austerity: Political and Economic Strategies of Mexico’s Rural Poor -- Austerity and Dissent: Social Bases of Popular Struggle in Latin America
Summary
The origins of the debt crisis, the principal institutional actors involved, and the structure of related policies are well documented. Less studied and less understood is the impact of austerity on the people of Latin America. In this collection of original essays, leading Latin American and U.S. researchers map the political economy of austerity in Latin America. Each essay focuses on a specific aspect of social relations–urban, rural, demographic, or economic. Exploring the theoretical and substantive implications of austerity in Latin America, the contributors show that the study of the region’s debt crisis can contribute to an understanding of the impact of internationalization on national social structure and development. The book begins with a historical analysis of global economic and institutional changes that presaged the rapid growth of debt in Latin America and determined the implementation of austerity policies. In Part 2, several essays focus on the structure of national economic stabilization policies and their impact on income distribution. Part 3 examines the effects of austerity on various dimensions of social structure including demography, urbanization, organized labor, and regional development. Popular responses to austerity policies are explored in Part 4.
