ABSTRACT
The world of 1996 is very different from the world of 1961. There is no viable ideological alternative that seriously challenges democratic-capitalism. Latin America's progress in the past three decades has been disappointing, but it at least appears to recognize that 'defensive nationalism' has been very costly to its progress and that close relationships with the United States are in its interest. Mexico's leap into the embrace of the United States and Canada is a symbol of the demise of dependency theory. The new democratic-capitalist consensus in Latin America is an extremely important and positive development. Democratic forms and open economic policies are a major step forward for Latin America, and they are likely to promote the values and attitudes that are necessary for their successful functioning. Political leadership has at its disposal perhaps the most powerful engine of cultural change: the education system.
