Underdevelopment Is a State of Mind: The Latin American Case: Amazon.ca: Lawrence E. Harrison: Books

Product Description

Book Description

Originally published in 1985, Underdevelopment Is a State of Mind_ was one of the first studies to examine Latin America's rocky development as cultural, rather than colonial, byproduct.

About the Author

Lawrence E. Harrison teaches at the Harvard Academy for International and Area Studies. He resides in Boston, Massachusetts.

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5 Reviews

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4.2 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Good analysts of root causes, & indirectly the solutions, May 26 2004

By

Henry Cate III (CA. United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Underdevelopment Is a State of Mind: The Latin American Case (Hardcover)

This book was first written in 1985 and revised in 2000. In a nut shell the author looks at the history of Latin America, and argues that the classic explanation of the Dependency theory of Latin America's poverty relative to the United States is wrong. For a long time many people in Latin America blamed their problems on the rest of the world, and often the United States was the source of most evil. This was victimhood on an international level.

Harrison argues that this is wrong, and shows how the legacy of the Spanish and Catholic influences has produced a culture that is anti-progressive. I was a bit surprised at how often he brings up the importance of child rearing practices. This is a very well researched book. It was well written. It was very thought provoking.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Thomas Sowell recommends it, and for good reason., July 14 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Underdevelopment Is a State of Mind: The Latin American Case (Hardcover)

Unlike one of the reviewers of this book which declared this book to reek of white supremacy stench, a portrayal which couldn't be further from the truth, I found this book to be very insightful and very well reasoned. I read this book as a recommendation from Thomas Sowell (a noted black economist and author of a trilogy on cultures - and one of my favorite authors and economists) and I found that he was right on the money with his recommendation. There is no reason in the world that any population, with or without natural resources, can't progress and become developed in a generation or -at most - two (as long as they have guarantee of liberty including the iron clad right to own property without danger of seizure from the government). The author reveals very well the stumbling blocks that prevent some countries from developing regardless of the billions given in foreign aid. Culture does play a part in this and in some cases - a major part. As an example, how do two countries of a comparable economic situation (Hong Kong - no natural resources - and Mexico - with considerable reserves of oil - in the early 50s) become so diverse in their development in a scant 50 years? Culture and economic liberty are an obvious answer. Do yourself a favor and read a copy of this book. It'll open your eyes utilizing clear and basic economics as to one of the root causes to third world poverty.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The truth that you should heed, Feb 18 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Underdevelopment Is a State of Mind: The Latin American Case (Hardcover)

If you are one of those people who disingenously think that all cultures are the same and that cultural attitudes do not impinge on economical issues, move on and keep on reading the same type of pseudo-scholarship that created and sustains all those described in two other works the reader should take into account: "El Manual del perfecto idiota latinoamericano" (The Manual of the Perfect Latin American Idiot")and "Fabricantes de miseria" (Makers of Misery). Otherwise, buy books like this and one day you might learn the truth.

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Yes ...it is !!!
I read this book a long time ago ...I actually borrowed it from a friend at the USAID office in Santo Domingo and never returned it. Read more

Published on Dec 20 2003 by MADC

1.0 out of 5 stars A few good insights tainted by the stench of white-supremacy
The thesis of this book is that the economic disparities between the US, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Haiti result from the superiority of WASP culture. Read more

Published on Aug 15 2000 by John Smith