Introduction: Time, Space and Economics in the History of Latin America

Abstract

This book represents a contribution in, at least, three dimensions: quantitative, historical and conceptual. From a quantitative point of view, the volume presents an extensive data set corresponding to 9 countries, 182 regions (states, provinces, departments) and around 14 benchmark years from the end of the nineteenth century to the beginning of the twenty-first century. This constitutes a substantial contribution to quantitatively analyse the economic development of Latin America, identifying the evolution of regional inequality and studying economic convergence and the formation of convergence clubs (clusters of poor and rich regions). Second, the volume combines a regional and supranational view that is also a valuable contribution to the economic history of Latin America. Is it possible to study the economic history of countries as huge as Argentina and Brazil or as varied as Chile and Bolivia without a regional approach? Does it makes sense to study the economic history of Uruguay without integrating it with that of the Argentine Pampa Húmeda and that of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil? Lastly, from a conceptual point of view, we think that the identification of true “economic territories” beyond political jurisdictions offers a renewed capacity of analysis and, therefore, having this type of accountability available means opening up new opportunities for explanation and interpretation, and renewed questions and hypotheses.