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Factor Endowments and Agricultural Productivity in Latin America on the Eve of World War I

Author

Listed:
  • Pablo Castro

    (Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y de Administración. Instituto de Economía)

  • Henry Willebald

    (Universidad de la República (Uruguay). Facultad de Ciencias Económicas y de Administración. Instituto de Economía)

Abstract

This paper quantifies agricultural performance in Latin America in the early 20th century, complementing previous qualitative studies with a comparative and historical perspective. The analysis covers ten countries –Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Cuba, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela– during the years preceding World War I. We identify three broad agrarian paths. Argentina and Uruguay featured extensive, high-productivity, export-oriented systems that promoted broader economic development. Chile, Cuba, and Nicaragua exhibited more intensive but labour-demanding systems, with moderate productivity and uneven technological progress. Venezuela, Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Peru maintained low-productivity, traditional agriculture with limited potential for economic growth. These contrasting structures highlight the diversity of Latin American agrarian capitalism and help explain the uneven capacity of national economies to initiate structural transformation. Overall, differences in factor endowments played a decisive role in shaping productivity patterns, with land-abundant regions favouring labour-saving technologies.

Suggested Citation

  • Pablo Castro & Henry Willebald, 2025. "Factor Endowments and Agricultural Productivity in Latin America on the Eve of World War I," Documentos de Trabajo (working papers) 25-26, Instituto de Economía - IECON.
    • Handle: RePEc:ulr:wpaper:dt-26-25
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    File URL: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12008/53368
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • N56 - Economic History - - Agriculture, Natural Resources, Environment and Extractive Industries - - - Latin America; Caribbean
    • Q11 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Aggregate Supply and Demand Analysis; Prices
    • Q16 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - R&D; Agricultural Technology; Biofuels; Agricultural Extension Services

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