Styles of development in Latin America

The discussion of styles of development has been complicated bythe improper use of this and other associated terms. In order to avoidmisunderstandings, this article starts by examining the concepts of systemand structure and on this basis, goes on to define a style of developmentas "the way in which human and material resources are organized andassigned within a particular system with the object of solving such questionsas what goods and services to produce; how; and for whom". Morespecifically, it notes two sets of features of such styles: (a); those whichmake up the structural basis of the production apparatus, especially thesectoral structure of the product and employment, the various technologicalstrata, and the predominant type of external relationship, and (b); thedynamic elements of the system, which are revealed by analyzing the leveland composition of demand and its underlying basic factors, namely thelevel and distribution of income. These two sets of features are closelylinked by a circle of mutual cause and effect.The article does not limit itself to a conceptual explanation: on thebasis of statistical data it also describes the prevailing economic stylesin Latin America, the fundamental problems which beset them, and thepossible options for solving these.