Wiarda provides a new edition of a pioneering exploration of Latin American political culture, the autoritarian tradition, and the recent transitions to democracy and the special meaning of that term in the Latin American context.

The volume contains a provocative Introduction and Conclusion by the editor as well as essays by leading scholars of Latin American politics and history: Richard Morse, Octavio Paz, Glen Dealy, Peter Smith, and others. This is a classic collection, newly revised and updated.