JS-11.3
Intellectuals and Development: Reflection from Diverse Latin America Statements
Paulo Henrique Martins
Summary: In this paper I will try to reflect about two points: the difference between economic growth and development, on the one hand, and the existence of diverse national statements about development, on the other hand. The first point is important to remark that the idea of development in Latin America is connected to the traditional criticism about imperialism and dependence. This understanding is particular to the region and it was born in the World War II when Latin-American economists such as R. Prebisch who noted that international economic deterioration was not only an economic problem but a political issue. Thus, it is impossible to generalize this understanding of development to others continents but it is very important to try to compare some different processes. The second point is that the idea of development in the region is linked to the idea of power system, because what is developed is not the country but the power. Then, in this sense, it is possible to define some different development patterns in Latin America that reflect some possibilities of alliances between social and political forces that contribute to organize national power systems in the last decades. To demonstrate our papers we will try to show the differences and similarities between Brazilian and Bolivian cases. It is important to show the relationship and differences between economic and political spheres and about global and local views, from different contexts.