The United States Government Responds

• Published in: The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 1961-03, Vol.334 (1), p.133-142
• Main Author: Barall, Milton
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Bank capital; Bank loans; Capital investments; Credit; Economic development; Foreign policy; Human resources; Industrial agriculture; International loans; International politics; Latin America; The United States Response; U.S.A; United States government; World Bank
• ISSN: 0002-7162; 1552-3349
• DOI: 10.1177/000271626133400115

Through the next decade or two, Latin America will be engaged in what may be the telling phase of its endeavor to achieve better living standards and social justice for its people, with economic factors playing a predominant role. Underdeveloped and rurally underpopulated, this is one region of the world where population expansion can be a positive factor in economic growth, by providing an increasing manpower to shape its considerable potential into tangible gains. Foreign capital and foreign technical knowledge can provide the help and incentive for Latin Americans to help themselves. With the many ties that exist between the interdependent countries of this hemisphere, it is natural that much of this assistance from foreign sources should come from the United States. On the other hand, Latin Americans on their own initiative must undertake internal measures where needed to curb inflation, revise tax structures, reduce armament expenditures, improve education, provide an equitable distribution of land and income, and, in general, induce a climate favorable to the necessary co-operation of foreign elements and local citizens.