Argentine economic history has long presented a puzzle: how could a country that was once one of the world's richest, now fare so poorly? What is the economic story behind such long-run divergence? And how does economic reality reflect deeper social, institutional and political forces? Not since the publication of Carlos Diaz Alejandro's Essays on the Economic History of the Argentine Republic in 1970 has there been another standard reference for those seeking a more quantitative understanding of Argentina's development. In the intervening years research in the 'new economic history' has crafted a more sophisticated interpretation of the past. This 2004 book provides the reader access to research, focusing on long-run economic change, major developments in policy making, and important shifts in institutions and ideas. The lessons from Argentina's turbulent economic past represent the essential context for the issues that confront scholars, students, and policy-makers.