Modern Panama: From Occupation to Crossroads of the Americas
Cambridge University Press, 4/30/2019
EAN 9781108476669, ISBN10: 110847666X
Hardcover, 364 pages, 23.5 x 15.6 x 2.4 cm
Language: English
Few have a complete understanding of the recent history of Panama, markedly since the signing of the Carter–Torrijos Treaties in 1977. Although the Treaty set the stage for the country to finally control all of its territory, little is known about how Panama has fared, both as a manager of a major waterway and as a sovereign nation in a unique region. Authors Michael L. Conniff and Gene E. Bigler seek to fill this major gap in Latin American history with Modern Panama, a thorough account of the recent political and economic developments in Panama. Despite the country's continued struggle with political corruption, Conniff and Bigler argue that changes since the turnover of the Canal have been largely positive, and Panama has emerged into the twenty-first century as a stable, functioning democracy with a growing economy, improved canal management, and a higher standard of living.
List of figures and tables
Prologue
Acknowledgments
1. Introduction to modern Panama
Part I
2. The 1980s
a halting transition toward democracy
3. The Endara Administration
civilians learned to prevail
4. The Pérez Balladares Administration
return of the PRD
Part II
5. The Moscoso Administration
millennial transitions
6. The Torrijos Administration
uneven progress spread discontent
7. Panama's canal
better than ever
8. The Martinelli Administration
trouble in boom times
9. The Varela Administration
toward a more humane society
10. Conclusions
Interviews by authors
Unpublished documentary sources
Bibliography
Index.