Th is book is about Latin America’s attempt over recent decades to break a vicious circle of economic mediocrity, crises, infl ation, poverty, and authoritarian regimes. It is the history of the Latin American reforms of the 1990s and 2000s—sometimes called the reforms of the Washington Consensus—and of the region’s struggle to modernize its economy and institutions. It is also a history of the Latin American countries’ eff orts to improve social conditions and to reduce poverty and inequality. Th e book deals with the disappointment with globalization felt in many Latin American countries during the fi rst decade of the twenty-fi rst century and with the ascendance of populist politicians such as Hugo Chávez, Evo Morales, Rafael Correa, and Néstor Kirchner. It is also a book about Brazilian president Luiz Inácio da Silva—universally known as Lula—and his rejection of populism. Finally, this book is about Chile’s success with modernizing reforms, capitalism, and economic openness. 

这本书讲述了拉丁美洲近几十年来试图打破经济平庸、危机、信息、贫困和独裁政权的恶性循环。这是1990年代和2000年代拉丁美洲改革的历史，有时被称为《华盛顿共识》的改革，以及该地区为实现经济和体制现代化而进行的斗争。这也是拉丁美洲国家努力改善社会条件、减少贫困和不平等的历史。这本书讲述了在21世纪的头十年里，许多拉丁美洲国家对全球化的失望，以及诸如雨果·查韦斯、埃沃·莫拉莱斯、拉斐尔·科雷亚和Néstor Kirchner等民粹主义政治家的崛起。这也是一本关于巴西总统卢拉和他拒绝民粹主义的书。最后，这本书是关于智利在现代化改革、资本主义和经济开放方面的成功。