Volume VI brings together general essays on major themes in the economic, social, and political history of Latin America from 1930 to 1990. It begins with a chapter on population growth, followed by four chapters on the economies of Latin American states from the Depression to 1990. The evolution of urban and rural social structures, and of state organisation, is discussed. There is a chapter on the role of the military in Latin American politics as well as a chapter on democracy during the period. The role of the Left in Latin American politics, labour movements and the urban working class, and rural mobilization and violence are analysed, as is the role of women in twentieth-century Latin American economy, society, and politics. The volume concludes with a discussion of the actions and importance of the Catholic and Protestant Churches.

"Leslie Bethell's monumental Latin American juggernaut continues to roll on. Those who are interested in Latin America between the onset of the Depression and the early 1990s will find a rich store of both information and argument in this double volume.... the contributors' scholarly credentials are impeccable. And the story they have to tell is both important and intrinsically fascinating.... as good a general survey as is currently available or perhaps conceivable." - Times Higher Education Supplement

"This international, interdisciplinary, collaborative scholarship, applied in a common effort to understand a complex historical period, is a principal strength of the work. Thoughtful editing under the guidance of Leslie Bethell has generally succeeded in creating a coherently inter-related set of essays…a sweeping data-rich solidly analytical survey." - Hispanic American Historical Review

"Any addition to the monumental Cambridge History provides a salient landmark for Latin American studies since the series offers both a unique teaching and research aid and a useful synopsis of the ‘state-of-the-art’ in the field. Volume VI – split into two sizable volumes – is no exception… a great deal of valuable scholarship is packed into these volumes… volumes that will be widely and profitably used, particularly by readers looking for up-to-date resumes of these grand, complex contemporary themes… The area covered by the contributors is enormous… their – generally - diligent mapping of modern Latin America has greatly enhanced our collective cognitive capacity." - Journal of Latin American Studies