Economic History of Puerto Rico [Paperback]

James L. Dietz (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

Dietz has written a remarkably comprehensive account of the historical background to all this, using the latest theoretical concepts in economic science to buttress his case that the industrialization program of the last thirty years has essentially failed to solve the problems of persistent structural unemployment, continuing inequities in income, escalating consumerism followed by massive personal indebtedness, and continuing structural dependency on the U.S. market system. -- American Historical Review

Product Details

• Paperback: 363 pages
• Publisher: Princeton University Press (January 1, 1987)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0691022488
• ISBN-13: 978-0691022482
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 5.9 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #450,768 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent work, September 29, 2006

By 

Joandiel Resto (San Juan, Puerto Rico) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Economic History of Puerto Rico (Paperback)

In this book James Dietz works on the economial history of the island of Puerto Rico. Dietzs work makes him a pioneer with a complete summary in this subject. The chapters are well written, aslo the works uses ilustrations and graphs which makes this book easy to read. This book covers from the colonization and concludes with an analysis of the actual economy. Excellent work.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars At least we have this work, November 22, 2006

By 

Bill Murphy "murphbill" (Harrisburg, PA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Economic History of Puerto Rico (Paperback)

Good social/economic histories are rare and we are fortunate to have this study for Puerto Rico. It is too easy to forget how life was prior to the demographic explosion of the early 20th century. Many areas had just a few thousand inhabitants. The book also demonstratedse the importance of the Munoz Marin strategy of economic development. If there is any weakness, I think a more detailed analysis of the dependence of PR on the US is warranted. If we compare Puerto Rico to the Dominican Republic, we see a society in which welfare/food stamps programs raised food costs etc. and displaced local agriculture and production. In the Dominican Republic local production remains and costs remain low because of the much lower per capita income. Sea-Land is not referenced in the book. I would point out that his statistics do document the unbalanced nature of trade and the issue of trading with other Caribbean nations given US trade policies. The challenge of continued development requires greater production of domestic goods in Puerto Rico and the ability to trade freely with surrounding economies. In sum, this work is an excellent start for improved understanding of the Commonwealth and its status in the US and the region.

4.0 out of 5 stars Eco. History of PR-Great Buy, January 22, 2008

By 

B. Rodriguez - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Economic History of Puerto Rico (Paperback)

This book provides a very good analysis of Puerto Rico's economic situation at various historical stages. It's geared towards those doing research on the subject and can be tough reading for just a historical perspective, but if you want the big picture, this book is a big part of it.