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Human Development as Positive Freedom: Latin America in Historical Perspective

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  • Leandro Prados de la Escosura

Abstract

How has Latin America's well-being evolved over time? How does Latin America compare to today's developed countries ( OECD , for short)? What explains their differences? These questions are addressed using an historical index of human development. A sustained improvement in well-being can be observed since 1870. The absolute gap between OECD and Latin America widened over time, but an incomplete catching-up--largely explained by education--occurred since 1900, but faded away after 1980, as Latin America fell behind the OECD in terms of longevity. Once the first health transition was exhausted, the contribution of life expectancy to human development declined.

Suggested Citation

  • Leandro Prados de la Escosura, 2015. "Human Development as Positive Freedom: Latin America in Historical Perspective," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(3), pages 342-373, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jhudca:v:16:y:2015:i:3:p:342-373
    DOI: 10.1080/19452829.2015.1056644
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Peter Lindert, 2004. "Social Spending and Economic Growth," Challenge, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(4), pages 6-16.
    2. Rosemary Thorp, 1998. "Progress, Poverty and Exclusion: An Economic History of Latin America in the 20th Century," IDB Publications (Books), Inter-American Development Bank, number 79303, February.
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    Cited by:

    1. Nicola Amendola & Giacomo Gabbuti & Giovanni Vecchi, 2023. "On some problems of using the Human Development Index in economic history," European Review of Economic History, European Historical Economics Society, vol. 27(4), pages 477-505.
    2. Enriqueta Camps-Cura, 2019. "The Economic Geography of Human Capital in Twentieth-Century Latin America in an International Comparative Perspective," Palgrave Studies in Economic History, in: Changes in Population, Inequality and Human Capital Formation in the Americas in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries, chapter 0, pages 61-85, Palgrave Macmillan.
    3. Enriqueta Camps & Stanley L. Engerman, 2016. "The Economic Geography of Human Capital in Twentieth-Century Latin America in an International Comparative Perspective," Working Papers 914, Barcelona School of Economics.
    4. Challú, Amílcar E. & Silva-Castañeda, Sergio, 2016. "Towards an anthropometric history of latin America in the second half of the twentieth century," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 23(C), pages 226-234.
    5. Castilho, Daniela & Fuinhas, José Alberto & Marques, António Cardoso, 2021. "The impacts of the tourism sector on the eco-efficiency of the Latin American and Caribbean countries," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    6. Adolfo Meisel-Roca & Juliana Jaramillo-Echeverri & María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo, 2018. "Más de cien años de avances en el nivel de vida: El caso de Colombia," Cuadernos de Historia Económica 46, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    7. Juliana Jaramillo-Echeverri & Adolfo Meisel-Roca & María Teresa Ramírez-Giraldo, 2017. "More than One Hundred Years of Improvements in Living Standards: the Case of Colombia," Borradores de Economia 1027, Banco de la Republica de Colombia.
    8. Marein, Brian, 2020. "Economic development in Puerto Rico after US annexation: Anthropometric evidence," Economics & Human Biology, Elsevier, vol. 38(C).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • I00 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - General - - - General
    • N36 - Economic History - - Labor and Consumers, Demography, Education, Health, Welfare, Income, Wealth, Religion, and Philanthropy - - - Latin America; Caribbean
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • O54 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Latin America; Caribbean

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