1980-1990: Latin America Experiences ‘Lost Decade’ of Poor Economic Growth

The breakdown of the import substitution industrialization (ISI) model of development and the advent of neoliberal economic reform in Latin America lead to what is now termed the “lost decade” due to poor economic growth in the region. From 1980 to 1990, the region’s share of the world economy slips from 6 to 3 percent. Also, its average annual percentage change of real GDP per capita growth from 1980 to 1989 is -0.4, lower than any other region in the world and significantly lower than Latin America’s previous rate of 2.5 percent for the period between 1973 to 1980. [Robinson, 1999, pp. 112-113]