The result of an ongoing collaborative effort, this book analyzes the constraints faced by Latin American countries as they seek both to consolidate fragile democratic regimes and restore economic dynamism in the context of a new, outward-oriented development model.

The authors focus on the relationship between the two goals, highlighting the interplay of societal and state-level actors and analyzing the possible tradeoffs involved as different countries pursue their own unique paths toward further development and democratization. The theoretical arguments offered are supported by detailed case studies from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico.