Economía Y Nación

A new edition of the 1985 Colombian economic history. New material covers Colombias performance during the 1980s, Latin Americas lost decade, when economic growth declined but was not negative as elsewhere across the region. Also considers Colombias possibilities and expectations for the new millennium: added to the positive fact that constitutional reforms have pluralized the country, the author – who has traditionally argued from the left – accepts that neoliberal policies implemented in the 1990s have increased competitiveness, favorably positioning the country to develop agricultural and manufacturing export niches leading to sustainable growth. This will be coupled with the imminent boom of the mining industry. However, economic growth and social cohesion will be hurt by the seemingly unresolvable problem posed by drug trafficking –Handbook of Latin American Studies, v. 57.