The theoretical contribution and global reception of "Dependency and development in Latin America"

A commentary on the texts of Labarca and de Madariaga and Palestini

Abstract

Fifty years after its publication, Dependencia y Desarrollo en América Latina (DyD) continues to inspire scholars and stimulate debates both within and outside Latin America. In this issue, both Labarca and Madariaga and Palestini offer a critical look at such debates and the reception of DyD in contemporary social science. While Labarca focuses both on key methodological issues and on understanding the type of theory offered by DyD, Madariaga and Palestini undertake an analysis of the global reception and influence of DyD beyond Latin America. My aim in this essay is to offer a brief commentary on the two articles, outlining their main contributions and offering some observations about their weaknesses. I then make a brief comment regarding some of the more recent influences of DyD on comparative political economy in Latin America and Eastern Europe.