* The conference took place at the London School of Economics on 2 December 1983. The programme was divided into four sessions: I ‐Brazil (Chairman: Professor I. de Madariaga, University of London); papers were presented by: M. M. Moreira, ‘Political Liberalization and Economic Crisis’; C. Lafer, ‘The Political System: Trends and Perspectives’; B. Lamounier, ‘Will the Brazilian Case Become a Paradigm?’; M. D’Alva G. Kinzo, ‘Opposition Politics in Brazil’; II ‐ Argentina (Chairman: His Excellency M. Gibson Barboza, Brazilian Ambassador in London); papers were presented by: T. S. Di Tella, ‘The Result of the Elections’; F. J. McLynn, ‘The Ideology of Peronism’; G. Makin, ‘The Process of Demilitarization, 1980‐83’; W. Little, ‘Party Programmes in the New Argentina’; III ‐Comparative Themes (Chairman: Professor E. A. Gellner, London School of Economics); papers were presented by: J. G. Merquior, ‘Power and Identity: Politics and Ideology in Latin America’; T. S. Di Tella, ‘‘Parties of the People’ in Latin America’; R. H. Dix, ‘Corporatist Authoritarianism’; I. Roxborough, ‘Historical Unity and Diversity’; P. Cammack, ‘From Bureaucratic Authoritarianism to the Restructuring of Capital’; IV ‐General Discussion and Conclusions (Chairman: Professor G. Ionescu, IPSA Research Committee).

The participants were: Miss E. Allen, University of Glasgow; Dr S. Amaral, University of London; Mr A. Angell, St Antony’s College, Oxford; Mr G. Beinhardt, European Commission; Dr H. Blakemore, University of London; Dr A. Blanco‐Bazan, London; Mr P. Cammack, University of Manchester; Mr R. Chapman, Lloyds Bank; Mr Dodsworth, Foreign Office; Miss E. Duran, Chatham House; Mr P. Flynn, University of Glasgow; His Excellency A. da Costa Franco, Brasilia; Dr J. A. Hall, University of Southampton; Mrs R. Jones, IPSA Research Committee on European Unification; Miss M. D’Alva G. Kinzo, St Antony’s College, Oxford; Dr C. M. Lewis, London School of Economics; Mr W. Little, University of Liverpool; Professor J. Lynch, University of London; Mr G. Makin, University of Cambridge; Mr H. Martins, St Antony’s College, Oxford; Dr F. J. McLynn, Wolverhampton Polytechnic; Dr J. G. Merquior, Minister, Brazilian Embassy, London; Mr P. O’Brien, University of Glasgow; Dr L. Ortega, University of London; Dr G. Philip, London School of Economics; Mrs T. Quintella, Brazilian Consul, London; Dr I. Roxborough, London School of Economics; Mrs T. Di Tella, Buenos Aires; Professor T. S. Di Tella, Buenos Aires; Miss Patricia Thomas, Nuffield Foundation; Miss B. Wijngaard, Lloyds Bank; Mr A. G. Yooll, The Guardian.

The conference was assisted by a grant from the Nuffield Foundation.