Observations on Economic Policy in Post-Revolution Nicaragua

Keith Griffin
Additional contact information
Keith Griffin: University of California

Chapter 9 in Studies in Globalization and Economic Transitions, 1996, pp 215-227 from Palgrave Macmillan

Abstract: Abstract The Sandinista revolution of 1979 transformed the polity and economy of Nicaragua. Dictatorship was replaced by a more democratic and participatory political system and the ‘repressive agro-export model’ of development of the previous three decades (Barraclough, 1982) was replaced by a model based on socialist principles. No one concerned with justice, equality or the alleviation of poverty should weep over the passing of the Somoza regime. The Nicaraguan version of an agro-export model of development resulted in peasants being forced off the land and an increasing proportion of the cultivated area being held by large estates. The process of polarization went so far that by 1970 it is estimated that the poorest 50 per cent of the population consumed less than 1800 calories per capita per day. Growth did indeed occur, at least between 1950 and the early 1970s, and rates of investment were in general quite high, but the growth that occurred was accompanied by impoverishment and increased inequality.

Keywords: Economic Policy; Socialist Country; Domestic Saving; Mixed Economy; Socialist Principle (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 1996
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

There are no downloads for this item, see the EconPapers FAQ for hints about obtaining it.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pal:palchp:978-0-230-37213-9_9

Ordering information: This item can be ordered from
http://www.palgrave.com/9780230372139

DOI: 10.1057/9780230372139_9

Access Statistics for this chapter

More chapters in Palgrave Macmillan Books from Palgrave Macmillan
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().