Hostname: page-component-f554764f5-246sw Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-04-18T22:47:15.495Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Latin American Class Structures: Their Composition and Change during the Last Decades

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 October 2022

Alejandro Portes
Alejandro Portes*
Affiliation:
The Johns Hopkins University
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Extract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

This article will attempt to “map” the class structure of Latin American societies on the basis of several recent empirical studies and statistics provided by such organizations as the International Labour Office (ILO), the Regional Employment Program for Latin America (PREALC), and the UN Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLA). This formal exercise should help clarify existing class structures by reducing a large and complex list of designations to a manageable number. On the basis of this classification, changes in class composition and struggles during the last two decades will then be examined. The article is thus divided in two parts, one dealing with class structure and the other with class dynamics.

Type
Research Article
Information
Latin American Research Review , Volume 20 , Issue 3 , 1985 , pp. 7 - 39
Copyright
Copyright © 1985 by the University of Texas Press

Footnotes

*

Revised version of a paper presented at the Third U.S./USSR Conference on Latin America held in Yerevan, Soviet Armenia, in June 1983. The author acknowledges the helpful comments of conference participants, in particular James Malloy, Carmen Diana Deere, Bruce Bagley, Anatoly Shulgovsky, and Emil S. Dabaguian, as well as those of Stephen Bunker, Christopher Chase-Dunn, Andrew Cherlin, and A. Douglas Kincaid. None of them, however, bears responsibility for the contents of the essay.

References

Alzamora, Carlos, and Iglesias, Enrique 1983 “Bases for a Latin American Response to the International Economic Crisis.” CEPAL Review 20 (Aug.):17–46.Google Scholar
Arizpe, Lourdes 1978 Migración, etnicismo y cambio económico. Mexico City: El Colegio de México.Google Scholar
Birbeck, Chris 1979 “Garbage, Industry, and the ‘Vultures’ of Cali, Colombia.” In Casual Work and Poverty in Third World Cities, edited by Bromley, Ray and Gerry, Chris, 161–84. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar
Cardoso, Fernando H. 1979 “On the Characterization of Authoritarian Regimes in Latin America.” In The New Authoritarianism in Latin America, edited by Collier, David, 33–57. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Cardoso, Ruth C. L. 1983 “Movimentos Sociais no Brasil Pós-64: Balanço Crítico.” In Sociedade e Política no Brasil Pós-64, edited by Sorj, B. and M. H. Tavares de Almeida, 215–39. São Paulo: Brasiliense.Google Scholar
Casanueva, Fernando, and Fernandez, Manuel 1973 El Partido Socialista y la lucha de clases en Chile. Santiago de Chile: Quimantu.Google Scholar
Castells, Manuel 1980 Multinational Capital, National States, and Local Communities, Institute of Urban and Regional Development, Working Paper No. 34. Berkeley: University of California.Google Scholar
Castells, Manuel 1982 “The Social Basis of Urban Populism: Squatters and the State in Latin America.” Paper presented at the Third Seminar of the Working Group on Latin American Urbanization, Tepoztlan, Mexico.Google Scholar
Cavalcanti, Clovis 1978 Viabilidade do Setor Informal: A Demanda dos Pequenos Serviços no Grande Recife. Recife: Instituto Joaquim Nabuco de Pesquisas Sociais.Google Scholar
Cavarozzi, Marcelo 1983 Autoritarismo y democracia (1955-1983). Buenos Aires: Central Editores de América Latina.Google Scholar
Cornelius, Wayne A. 1974 “Urbanization and Political Demand-Making: Political Participation among the Migrant Poor in Latin American Cities.” American Political Science Review 58 (Sept.):1125–46.Google Scholar
Duarte, Isis 1983 “Fuerza laboral urbana en Santo Domingo, 1980-1983.” Estudios Sociales 16 (Sept.-Nov.):31–53.Google Scholar
Durston, John W. 1982 “Class and Culture in the Changing Peasantry,” CEPAL Review 16 (Apr.): 141–52.Google Scholar
Eckstein, Susan 1977 The Poverty of Revolution, the State, and the Urban Poor in Mexico. Princeton: Princeton University Press.Google Scholar
Evans, Peter 1979 Dependent Development: The Alliance of Multinational, State, and Local Capital in Brazil. Princeton: Princeton University Press.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Felix, David 1983 “Income Distribution and the Quality of Life in Latin America: Patterns, Trends, and Policy Implications,” LARR 18, no. 2: 3–33.Google Scholar
Ferreira Dos Santos, Carlos 1981 Movimentos Urbanos no Rio de Janeiro. Rio de Janeiro: Zahar Editores.Google Scholar
Gonzalez, Luis 1983 “Uruguay, 1980-1981: An Unexpected Opening.” LARR 18, no.3:63–76.Google Scholar
Handelman, Howard 1981 “Labor Industrial Conflict and the Collapse of Uruguayan Democracy.” Journal of Inter-American Studies and World Affairs 23 (Nov.):371–94.Google Scholar
Hardoy, Jorge E., and Satterthwaite, David 1981 Shelter: Needs and Responses. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar
ILO TECHNICAL MISSION 1980 “Nuevas perspectivas ocupacionales y cambios en la reproducción de la fuerza de trabajo.” Colombian Ministry of Labor and Social Security, Bogotá. Mimeo.Google Scholar
Iglesias, Enrique 1981 “Development and Equity: The Challenge of the 1980s.” CEPAL Review 15 (Dec.):7–46.Google Scholar
Iglesias, Enrique 1983 “Reflections on the Latin American Economy in 1982.” CEPAL Review 19 (Apr.):7–49.Google Scholar
Jobet, Julio Cesar 1955 Ensayo crítico del desarrollo económico y social de Chile. Santiago de Chile: Editorial Universitaria.Google Scholar
Leeds, Anthony 1969 “The Significant Variables Determining the Character of Squatter Settlements.” América Latina 12 (July-Sept.):44–86.Google Scholar
Lomnitz, Larissa 1979 “Mecanismos de articulación entre el sector informal y el sector formal urbano.” In El subempleo en América Latina. See tokman and klein 1979.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lomnitz, Larissa, and Lizaur, Marisol Perez 1979 “Family and Enterprise: The History of a Mexican Elite Kinship Group.” El Colegio de México. Manuscript.Google Scholar
Lopez CastañO, Hugo, Henao, Marta L., and Sierra, Oliva 1982 “El empleo en el sector informal: el caso de Colombia.” Centro de Estudios Económicos, University of Antioquia. Mimeo.Google Scholar
Lopez Cordovez, Luis 1982 “Trends and Recent Changes in the Latin American Food and Agriculture Situation.” CEPAL Review 16 (Apr.):7–41.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mcgee, T. E. 1979 “The Poverty Syndrome: Making Out in the Southeast Asian City.” In Casual Work and Poverty in Third World Cities, edited by Bromley, Ray and Gerry, Chris, 45–68. New York: Wiley.Google Scholar
Mesa-Lago, Carmelo 1978 Social Security in Latin America. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press.Google Scholar
Mesa-Lago, Carmelo 1983 “Social Security and Extreme Poverty in Latin America.” Journal of Development Economics 12: 83–110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
*Moises, Jose A., and Alier, Verena Martinez 1977 “A Revolta dos Suburbanos.” In CEDEC, Contradições Urbanas e Movimentos Sociais, 13-63. São Paulo: Paz e Terra.Google Scholar
*Moller, Alois 1979 “Los vendedores ambulantes de Lima.” In El subempleo en América Latina. See tokman and klein 1979.Google Scholar
*Nun, Jose 1969 “Superpoblación relativa, ejército industrial de reserva y masa marginal,” Revista Latinoamericana de Sociología (July): 178-235.Google Scholar
*O'DONNELL, GUILLERMO 1977 “Estado e Alianças na Argentina, 1956-76.” In O Estado na América Latina, edited by Pinheiro, Paulo S., 15–58. São Paulo: Paz e Terra.Google Scholar
*Peattie, Lisa R. 1981 “What is to Be Done with the ‘Informal Sector’: A Case Study of Shoe Manufacturers in Colombia.” Department of City and Regional Planning, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Mimeo.Google Scholar
*Perlman, Janice E. 1976 The Myth of Marginality: Urban Poverty and Politics in Rio de Janeiro. Berkeley: University of California Press.Google Scholar
Portes, Alejandro, and Douglas Kincaid, A. n.d. “The Crisis of Authoritarianism: State and Civil Society in Argentina, Uruguay, and Chile.” In Research in Political Sociology 1, edited by Richard S. Braungart. Greenwich, Conn.: JAI Press (forthcoming).Google Scholar
Prates, Suzana 1984 “El trabajo ‘informal’: notas para el análisis del caso uruguayo.” Paper presented at the Seminar on the Informal Sector in Center and Periphery, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, June.Google Scholar
PREALC 1978 Sector informal, funcionamiento y política. Santiago de Chile: International Labour Office.Google Scholar
PREALC 1982 Mercado de trabajo en cifras, 1950-1980. Santiago de Chile: International Labour Office.Google Scholar
Prebisch, Raul 1982 “A Historic Turning Point for the Latin American Periphery.” CEPAL Review 18 (Dec.):7–24.Google Scholar
Ray, Talton F. 1969 The Politics of the Barrios of Venezuela. Berkeley: University of California Press.Google Scholar
Roberts, Bryan R. 1976 “The Provincial Urban System and the Process of Dependency.” In Current Perspectives in Latin American Urban Research, edited by Portes, Alejandro and Browning, Harley L., 99–132. Austin: Institute of Latin American Studies, University of Texas at Austin.Google Scholar
Roca, Blas 1944 Los socialistas y la realidad cubana. Havana: Ediciones del Partido Socialista Popular.Google Scholar
Roca, Blas 1962 Los fundamentos del socialismo en Cuba. Havana: Ediciones del Partido Socialista Popular.Google Scholar
Rostow, Walt W. 1956 “The Take-Off into Self-Sustained Growth.” The Economic Journal 66: 25–48.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schmuckler, Beatriz 1979 “Diversidad de formas de relaciones capitalistas en la industria argentina.” In El subempleo en América Latina. See tokman and klein 1979.Google Scholar
Singer, Paul 1977 Economía Política do Trabalho. São Paulo: Hucitec.Google Scholar
Souza, Paulo R. 1978 “San Salvador.” In PREALC, Sector informal: funcionamiento y políticas, 173-92. Santiago de Chile: International Labour Office.Google Scholar
Souza, Paulo R., and Tokman, Victor E. 1974 “Características y funcionamiento del sector informal: el caso de Paraguay.” Revista Paraguaya de Sociología 31 (Sept.-Dec.):51–63.Google Scholar
Szymansky, Albert 1981 The Logic of Imperialism. New York: Praeger.Google Scholar
Thomson, Ian 1982 “Urban Transport in Latin America: Some Considerations on Equality and Efficiency.” CEPAL Review 17 (Aug.): 79–110.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tokman, Victor E. 1983 “Wages and Employment in International Recessions: Recent Latin American Experiences.” CEPAL Review 20 (Aug.):113–26.Google Scholar
Tokman, Victor E., and Klein, Emilio, EDS. 1979 El subempleo en América Latina. Buenos Aires: El Cid Editores.Google Scholar
Valenzuela, Arturo 1984 “Chile's Political Instability.” Current History 83 (Feb.):63-72, 88–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Walton, John 1977 Elites and Economic Development: Comparative Studies in the Political Economy of Latin American Cities. Austin: Institute of Latin American Studies, University of Texas at Austin.Google Scholar
Wright, Erik Olin, Costello, Cynthia, Hachen, David, and Sprague, Joey 1982 “The American Class Structure.” American Sociological Review 47 (Dec.):709–26.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Yujnovsky, Oscar 1982 “The Working Class and State Housing Policy: Argentina, 1976-81.” Paper presented at the Third Seminar of the Working Group on Latin American Urbanization, Tepoztlan, Mexico.Google Scholar