PeruThis profile provides a guide to the major recent economic, social, and political developments within Peru, viewed through the eyes of Peruvians themselves. John Crabtree emphasizes the depth of social divides in a country where more than half the population lives in poverty and without access to adequate employment. He analyzes the weakness of democratic institutions and the lack of political "voice" of the majority of men and women, while examining the background to the country's poor human rights record in recent years. Peru is burdened with heavy foreign debts, and subject to IMF-designed adjustment policies. Exploitation of its tremendous resource wealth, including its gold, oil, and forests, has led, not to prosperity, but to depredation and environmental damage. Its climate and geology mean that Peru is also highly prone to natural disasters, and the chaos and poverty they engender. Nonetheless, Peruvians are resilient people. This book shows how, through a myriad of locally-based initiatives and institutions, they seek to forge a better future for themselves and their children. The book is richly illustrated throughout with original photographs. |
Common terms and phrases
Abimael Guzmán agrarian reform agriculture Alan García Alejandro Toledo Amazon Andean Annie Bungeroth APRA Ayacucho Belaunde Cajamarca cent CEPICAFE coast coastal coca coffee comedores companies culture Cuzco debt defend economic El Niño elections environmental ethnic export farmers fiesta foreign grass-roots organisations hectares Huallaga Huayllay huayno human rights Inca increased indigenous José Carlos Mariátegui Juan de Lurigancho jungle La Oroya labour land Latin America liberalisation Lima living Locumba major migrants military million mining ministry Montesinos municipality neighbourhoods NGOs Niño numbers Oxfam Oxfam GB Pamplona Alta party Pastor Susana Pastor peasant Peru Peru's Peruvian Piura Piura region political poor popular population poverty president problems producers programmes region river rural areas San Juan sector Sendero Luminoso sierra social southern Peru SPCC Susana Pastor Susana Tambo Toledo Toquepala town traditional urban valley Velasco Villa El Salvador violence women
Popular passages
Page 57 - Soldiers wearing black ski masks, armed with heavy weapons. ..made his father lie on the ground... one kicked him while another hit him with the butt of a gun. He clung to his father and told the soldiers that his father was innocent, but the soldiers frightened him away with a cattle whip....
Page 25 - APBA was originally founded in Mexico in 1924 by Victor Raul Haya de la Torre, then in exile from Peru.
Page 62 - Though state schools do not charge fees, the quality of the education they provide is poor, and those who can afford it send their children to private schools or to schools run by the Catholic Church.
Page 7 - Nino ('boy child') phenomenon, named by the fishermen after the baby Jesus because the increase in sea temperatures is first noted around Christmas time.
