The Rise of Capitalism on the Pampas

Intheearlydecadesofthenineteenthcentury,BuenosAiresunderwentrapideconomicgrowth,onlydwarfedbytheevengreaterprosperitythatoccurredthereattheendofthecentury.Previousstudieshavefocusedontheeconomyasawhole,oronaparticularsegmentofthepopulation;andmosthavedisregardedhowresourceswereintentionallyorganizedtoenablegrowth.Thisbookfocusesontheestancia-livestockfirms,theeconomicorganizationsthatledthegrowthprocess.Theinternalstructure,productionconditions,andeconomicimpactoftheestanciaarethecentralissueswhichAmaralconsiders.Economicgrowthandincreasedfreedomwerenotinevitableonthepampas,butrathertheconsequencesofhumanactions,bothdeliberateandunintentional,inthesearchforanelusiveprofit.Whyfreedom,notprivilege,prevailedisthekeyquestionunderlyingthisstudy.