PERU: A Short History

by David P. Werlich ‧ RELEASE DATE: April 24, 1978

Mostly concerned with the post-colonial period and sharply focused on the 20th century, this political history devotes roughly a fifth of its space to events since 1968--an era, probably now ended, when, under the dictatorship of a seemingly left-leaning military government, Peru gained a certain amount of international renown as a possible model for other developing nations. Utilizing a broad background of academic research, Werlich seeks to present an objective picture of matters fiercely controversial in a country where political passions have frequently resulted in violence. His judgments of men and events tend to fall halfway between partisans' conflicting interpretations, suggesting that those on either side of an issue are each a bit right and a bit wrong. General readers may continue to prefer Fredrick B. Pike's The Modern History of Peru (1967), but Werlich's book should be read by those with a special interest in the area. In addition to being more up to date, it differs from Pike's work in its perspectives on earlier issues, most notably in its critical assessment of Haya de la Torre's APRA--a party whose ideology was another Peruvian contribution to the Latin American political scene. A book of interest mainly as a scholar's interpretive account of modern and contemporary political trends.

Pub Date: April 24, 1978

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Southern Illinois Univ. Press

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 1978

Categories: NONFICTION