Alan Taylor Gerardo Paolera National Bureau of Economic Research SBR-9602042 This research will construct an economic history of Argentina in period 1910 to 1940. This economic history will focus on three major areas: growth and structural change, income distribution, and policy decisions on openness of the economy. This research is of particular interest because Argentina was one of the wealthiest South American countries around the turn-of-the- century, yet it was unable to sustain a period of economic growth into the 20th century. As such, it is a classic example of failure of modern economic growth. This research will use cliometrics (econometric models combined with historical analysis) to attempt to unravel why this failure occurred and to hopefully provide insights useful in modern day economies.
