Forgotten continent : the battle for Latin America's soul / Michael Reid

Includes bibliographical references (p. [357]-365) and index.

The forgotten continent -- The Latin American conundrum -- The seed of democracy in the land of the caudillo -- Cold War and revolution : the United States and the left reject democracy -- Failed reformers, debt-ridden dictators : the right rejects democracy -- The rise and fall of the Washington consensus -- The populist challenge -- The reformist response -- Changing societies -- Evolving states -- The stubborn resilience of flawed democracies -- The loneliness of Latin America.

Latin America has often been condemned to failure. Neither poor enough to evoke Africa´s moral crusade, nor as explosively booming as India and China, it has largely been overlooked by the West. Yet this vast continent, home to half a billion people, the world´s largest reserves of arable land, and 8.5 percent of global oil, is busily transforming its political and economic landscape. nbsp; This book argues that rather than failing the test, Latin America´s efforts to build fairer and more prosperous societies make it one of the world´s most vigorous laboratories for capitalist democracy. In many countries including Brazil, Chile and Mexico democratic leaders are laying the foundations for faster economic growth and more inclusive politics, as well as tackling deep-rooted problems of poverty, inequality, and social injustice. They face a new challenge from Hugo Chávez´s oil-fuelled populism, and much is at stake. Failure will increase the flow of drugs and illegal immigrants to the United States and Europe, jeopardize stability in a region rich in oil and other strategic commodities, and threaten some of the world's most majestic natural environments. nbsp; Drawing on Michael Reid´s many years of reporting from inside Latin America´s cities, presidential palaces, and shantytowns, the book provides a vivid, immediate, and informed account of a dynamic continent and its struggle to compete in a globalized world.