Twentieth Century Fund Reports; Journeys Toward Progress

National Educational Television and Radio Center · July 29, 1963

Faced with the claims of the leaders of the Cuban Revolution on one side and the demands and promises of the Alliance for Progress on the other, Latin Americans must accept new patterns of social and economic change or run the risk of deepening difficulties, possibly leading to violent revolution. This is a conclusion for Albert O. Hirschman in his study for the Twentieth Century Fund, Journeys Toward Progress Studies of Economic Policy-Making in Latin America. Interviewed here by August Heckscher, Professor Hirschman contrasts two widely held views that major social and economic changes in Latin America can be accomplished only by revolution, and that such reform can come in an orderly democratic fashion. The truth, Professor Hirschman asserts, lies somewhere in between. From his studies of inflation in Chile, land reform in Colombia, and drought in Brazils northeast, he describes how reforms actually take place Latin American style. Albert O. Hirschman was professor of international economic relations at Columbia University. He traveled extensively throughout Latin America and spent much time there while working on this Twentieth Century Fund study. For four years he was financial advisor and economic consultant in Colombia. He is the author of The Strategy of Economic Development and was the editor of the Twentieth Century Fund study Latin American Issues. August Heckscher is director of the Twentieth Century fund and special consultant on the art to President Kennedy. Journeys Toward Progress is a 1963 production of National Educational Television. (Description adapted from documents in the NET Microfiche) Twentieth Century Fund Report consists of 2 half-hour episodes and one hour-long episode (which was broadcast as part of the Perspectives series). This episode was originally produced on videotape.