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Since the 1960s, political violence and war in Nicaragua, El Salvador, and Guatemala have taken 300,000 lives, displaced millions, and reversed decades of economic gains. Progress toward peace has been made since 1989 as the decade of war has changed the politics of conflict in the region and in Washington. In this new edition of a widely praised book, two of the most respected writers on Central American politics explore the origins and development of the region's political conflicts and efforts to resolve them. Highlights of the third edition include a new emphasis on regime change from the 1970s through the 1990s, the Salvadoran and Guatemalan peace accords of 1992 and 1996, recent elections (including Nicaragua's in 1996), evolving U.S.-Central American relations in the post-Cold War era, and an evaluation of the region's new civilian democratic regimes.John Booth and Thomas Walker trace the roots of underdevelopment and crisis in the region by examining the shared and individual histories of the Central American nations. They offer a theory about rebellion and political stability to account for the striking contrast between war-torn Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua and the stability of Costa Rica and Honduras. The authors examine the forces driving popular mobilization--economic change, liberation theology, and Marxism--and evaluate the dramatic changes in U.S. policy toward Central America, from a containment-oriented policy dominated by intervention in Central America's revolutions in the 1980s to a policy emphasizing the promotion of economic development and trade, especially with Mexico.

Tabla de contenidos provista por Syndetics

• Acknowledgments(p. xiii)
• Preface to The Third Edition(p. xv)
• 1 Crisis and Transformation(p. 1)
• 2 Poverty and its Causes(p. 11)
• 3 The Common History(p. 20)
• 4 Individual Histories of Central American Nations(p. 31)
• 5 Revolution, Regime Change, and Democratization: A Theory(p. 56)
• 6 Revolution, Counterrevolution, and Democratic Transition in Nicaragua(p. 69)
• 7 Insurrection and Regime Change in El Salvador(p. 101)
• 8 Insurrection and Regime Change in Guatemala(p. 118)
• 9 Maintaining Stability in Costa Rica and Honduras(p. 131)
• 10 Power, Democracy, and U.S. Policy in Central America(p. 145)
• 11 Reflections and Projections(p. 173)
• Appendix(p. 185)
• Acronyms(p. 199)
• Notes(p. 203)
• Bibliography(p. 229)
• About the Book And Authors(p. 249)
• Index(p. 251)

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CHOICE Review

A plethora of books--many hastily written and poorly informed--have accompanied Central American strife in the 1980s. Moreover, few scholars can rival the experience and expertise of Booth and Walker in the region; thus, their book is an outstanding contribution to the literature. A careful overview of the historical background of all five Central American nations is carried from the colonial times into the 1970s, after which the authors effectively apply and test theories of social revolution to the cases in point. This sharpens the contrast between the relative stability of Costa Rica and Honduras, the national revolts in Guatemala and El Salvador, and the revolution in Nicaragua. Booth and Walker proceed to a concluding discussion of power and democracy in the region, closing with specific policy recommendations for the US in the final decade of the century. Their criticisms of the past and present US actions are cogent; their proposals are a blend of creativity and common sense. This book is among the very best on the subject in the past decade and deserves careful study. Upper-division undergraduates and general readers. J. D. Martz Pennsylvania State University, University Park Campus

Notas de autor provistas por Syndetics

John A. Booth is Regents Professor of Political Science at the University of North Texas. Christine J. Wade is Assistant Professor of Political Science and International studies at Washington College. Thomas W. Walker is professor of political science and Director of the Latin American Studies Program at Ohio University. He is the author of Nicaragua: Living in the Shadow of the Eagle, Fourth Edition (2003, Westview).