ABSTRACT
Politics may be characterized over Peru's more than 180 years of independence as alternating between one form of authoritarian rule or another, with occasional forays into formal democracy. Continuing concerns over human rights violations delayed aid restoration after democratic forms were reinstated in 1993. Gradually, however, US aid to Peru increased over the decade to a level averaging over US $100 million per year, mainly for programs in development, democracy, counter-narcotics, and food assistance. Embracing neopositivist ideals of renovation, modernization, and innovation, the civilians also advanced the classic liberal precept of a government that would serve to enhance the capacity of the private sector. Although a great deal of attention was given to the need to decentralize government to make it more accessible to a larger share of the population, in practice central government activities remained as concentrated in Lima as they had been historically.
