#145 Democratization, Endogenous Modernization, and Integration: Strategic Choices for Latin America and Economic Relations with the United States

By Fernando Fajnzylber

From the Introduction

This essay pursues two main goals: First, it draws attention to some of the major challenges which Latin America will have to face in the next decade. These include: imbalances in the domestic productive structure and accumulated social needs; the fact that the international market, which in the past encouraged and supported growth, is becoming -- at least in the short and medium-term -- an obstacle to domestic economic dynamism; and the possible implications which industrial and technological restructuring under way in developed countries may have for Latin America. Second, the paper argues that the concepts of "democratization" and "endogenous modernization" constitute bases, starting from the present economic and political crisis, for articulating new development stra.tegies which will make it possible to meet the grave challenges facing Latin American countries in the next decades. These developments hold important implications for the future of Latin American-United States' relations.