Economic Inequality in Latin America and Africa, 1650 to 1950: Can a comparison of historical trajectories help to understand underdevelopment?

• The present article provides a comparative review of historicaleconomic inequality in the two most unequal regions of theworld, namely Latin America and Africa. This contributionexamines novel studies that provide quantitative estimates ofincome and/or wealth inequality in the two continents in termsof sources, methods, results and interpretations, focusing on theperiod 1650 to 1950. The article shows that although scholars inthe two regions have often employed similar methodologies,their results are far from conforming to a uniform pattern. Thepresent review highlights how scholars of Latin America andAfrica tend to remain geographically isolated, failing to capturethe learning opportunities stemming from the work of theircontinental counterparts in terms of both sources and methods.

Subject headings

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Ekonomi och näringsliv -- Ekonomisk historia (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Economics and Business -- Economic History (hsv//eng)

Keyword

Inequality; resource distribution; Latin America; Africa; history.

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)