ABSTRACT
This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book offers a brief examination of the historical background to the initiation of neoliberal reforms in the region as a way to better understand them. It opens by surveying the political scene in the wake of the end of the commodity boom. The book reviews the rise of import substitution industrialization (ISI) and discusses its achievements as an economic development strategy. It explores more fully the origins and character of the neoliberal reform program. The book examines the shift to the left, often referred to as the "Pink Tide", that began in Latin America beginning in 1998 with the election of Hugo Chavez. It considers the reasons for the region's shift and explores the shortcomings of the neoliberal model that pushed voters to support alternatives.
