While it is true that poverty, political instability, and economic under-performance continue to be major problems in Latin America, the region has made substantial progress in raising standards of living and overcoming military authoritarianism. <em><strong>Latin American Politics </strong></em>reflects just how much the region has changed in the last two decades. Eduardo Alemán draws on contemporary research in comparative studies on institutions, elections, and public opinion to highlight the big questions that political scientists seek to answer today: What are the causes of political instability? What explains the gap in economic and political development between the United States and Latin America? Why have some revolutionaries triumphed when most have failed?
