Coffee and Democracy in Modern Costa Rica

Designed for students of sociology and Latin American studies, this text provides an analysis of the political events that led to the demise of Costa Rica's coffee oligarchy, its influence in national politics, and the resulting establishment of a successful liberal democracy. Front Matter....Pages i-xiii Introduction....Pages 1-9 Estate Economy in Costa Rica: Class Formation, Politics and Underdevelopment....Pages 10-36 Economic Decline and Political Crisis....Pages 37-49 Emergence of the Interventionist State....Pages 50-76 The State and the Coffee Oligarchy: An Historic Compromise....Pages 77-92 Coffee and the Costa Rican Model of Development....Pages 93-113 Changing Class Structure in the Coffee Sector: 1950–78....Pages 114-145 Diversification beyond the Agro-export Model....Pages 146-154 Landlord Capitalism, Development and Democracy....Pages 155-181 Back Matter....Pages 182-195