The Political Economy of the Welfare State in Latin America: Globalization, Democracy, and Development

by Alex Segura-Ubiergo

This book is one of the first attempts to analyze how developing countries through the early twenty-first century have established systems of social protection (i.e. pension and poverty programs, and public health and education systems) and how these systems have been affected by the recent processes of globalization (i.e. greater exposure to international trade and capital markets) and democratization. The book focuses on Latin American - a pioneer in social policies in the developing world - to identify factors associated with the evolution of welfare state policies during the pre-globalization period (1920-1979), and studies how globalization and democratization in the last 25 years have affected governments' fiscal commitment to social spending.

342 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Ietrio]

Ubiergo is a smart guy. His entire live and the wealth of his family depends on murderous autocrats and abject poverty. So he is explaining in detail what states need to do in order for his kind of bureaucrat to thrive.