Strategic decisions and overlapping consensus in Latin America

Vol. 21 No. 4 (2001)

Oct-Dec / 2001
Published October 1, 2001
PDF-Portuguese (Português (Brasil))
PDF-Portuguese (Português (Brasil))

How to Cite

Bresser-Pereira, Luiz Carlos. 2001. “Strategic Decisions and Overlapping Consensus in Latin America”. Brazilian Journal of Political Economy 21 (4):611-37. https://doi.org/10.1590/0101-31572001-1241.

Strategic decisions and overlapping consensus in Latin America

Luiz Carlos Bresser-Pereira
Professor da Fundação Getúlio Vargas – FGV, São Paulo/SP, Brasil.
Brazilian Journal of Political Economy, Vol. 21 No. 4 (2001), Oct-Dec / 2001, Pages 611-637

Abstract

The paper, first, summarizes Latin American structuralism, and offers reasons why it was so influential and durable in the region, as it attended to real demands, and was part of 1950s’ mainstream economics. Second, says why, with 1980s’ Great Crisis, structuralism eventually ended itself into crisis, as it was unable to keep pace with historical new facts, particularly with the industrial revolution or take-off, that made Latin American economies intermediary, still developing, but fully capitalist. Third, it lists the quasi-consensus or overlapping consensus that today exists on economic development. Fourth, opposes “official orthodoxy” to “developmental populism”, the former deriving from neoclassical economics, the later from structuralism, and offers, in relation to six strategic issues, a development alternative.

JEL Classification: B1; B5.


Keywords: Latin America structuralism orthodoxy developmental populism