The Socialist Impulse: Latin America in the Twentieth Century

During the last century, Latin American countries have had a tendency to adopt a socialist-style government. This region has viewed socialism as a way to overcome poverty, oppression, ignorance, racism, underdevelopment, and foreign domination. Charles Ameringer discusses the vision and reality of the century-long effort in Latin America to embrace socialism as a way to gain economic development and justice.

Ameringer's sweeping analysis covers a wide range of countries and decades. He concludes that whatever the variety of socialism attempted in Latin America, none has stood the test of time. By analyzing the socialist movements and governments that evolved, he is able to highlight the events and factors that led to their eventual collapse.