Blood and Debt - War and the Nation-State in Latin America

What role does war play in political development? Our understanding of the rise of the nation-state is based heavily on the Western European experience of war. Challenging the dominance of this model, Blood and Debt looks at Latin America's much different experience as more relevant to politics today in regions as varied as the Balkans and sub-Saharan Africa. The book's illuminating review of the relatively peaceful history of Latin America from the late eighteenth through the early twentieth centuries reveals the lack of two critical prerequisites needed for war: a political and military culture oriented toward international violence and the state institutional capacity to carry it out. Using innovative new data such as tax receipts, naming of streets and public monuments, and conscription records, the author carefully examines how war affected the fiscal development of the state, the creation of national identity, and claims to citizenship. Rather than building nation-states and fostering democratic citizenship, he shows, war in Latin America destroyed institutions, confirmed internal divisions, and killed many without purpose or glory.

About the author

Miguel Angel Centeno is Professor of Sociology at Princeton University. His Democracy Within Reason (Penn State, 1994; revised edition, 1997) was named an "Outstanding Academic Book" by Choice.

Summary

Our understanding of the rise of the nation-state is based heavily on the Western European experience of war. This text challenges the dominance of this model, looking at Latin America's much different experience as more relevant to politics today in regions as varied as the Balkans and Africa.

Product details

• Authors: Miguel Angel Centeno, Centeno Miguel Angel
• Publisher: University Presses
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 15.09.2003
• EAN: 9780271023069
• ISBN: 978-0-271-02306-9
• Dimensions: 152 mm x 229 mm x 25 mm
• Weight: 590 g
• Illustrations: Illustrationen, nicht spezifiziert
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; Social sciences, law, business > Political science > General, dictionaries; Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Sociology / General, HISTORY / Modern / General, POLITICAL SCIENCE / History & Theory, POLITICAL SCIENCE / Comparative Politics, Society & culture: general, HISTORY / Latin America / General, Political science & theory, Comparative Politics, Latin America – Mexico, Central America, South America, History of the Americas