The Right Kind of Revolution: Modernization, Development, and U.S. Foreign Policy from the Cold War to the Present

258 Pages·2010·0.967 MB·English

by  Michael E. Latham

THE RIGHT KIND OF
REVOLUTION

THE RIGHT
KIND OF
REVOLUTION
Modernization, Development, and U.S.
Foreign Policy from the Cold War to
the Present
Michael E. Latham
CORNELL UNIVERSITY PRESS ITHACA AND LONDON
Copyright © 2011 by Cornell University
All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or parts
thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from
the publisher. For information, address Cornell University Press, Sage House,
512 East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850.
First published 2011 by Cornell University Press
First printing, Cornell Paperbacks, 2011
Printed in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Latham, Michael E.
The right kind of revolution : modernization, development, and U.S. foreign
policy from the Cold War to the present / Michael E. Latham.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-8014-4604-7 (cloth : alk. paper)
ISBN 978-0-8014-7726-3 (pbk. : alk. paper)
1. United States—Foreign relations—1945–1989. 2. United States—Foreign
relations—1989– I. Title.
E840.L38 2011
327.73009'04—dc22 2010029822
Cornell University Press strives to use environmentally responsible suppliers and
materials to the fullest extent possible in the publishing of its books. Such materials
include vegetable-based, low-VOC inks and acid-free papers that are recycled,
totally chlorine-free, or partly composed of nonwood fibers. For further informa-
tion, visit our website at www.cornellpress.cornell.edu.
Cloth printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Paperback printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Jennifer, Maile, and Anya

Contents
Acknowledgments ix
Introduction 1
1. Setting the Foundations: Imperial Ideals, Global War,
and Decolonization 10
2. Take-Off: Modernization and Cold War America 36
3. Nationalist Encounters: Nehru’s India, Nasser’s Egypt,
and Nkrumah’s Ghana 65
4. Technocratic Faith: From Birth Control to the
Green Revolution 93
5. Counterinsurgency and Repression: Guatemala,
South Vietnam, and Iran 123
6. Modernization under Fire: Alternative Paradigms,
Sustainable Development, and the Neoliberal Turn 157
7. The Ghosts of Modernization: From Cold War Victory to
Afghanistan and Iraq 186
Bibliography 221
Index 239

Acknowledgments
In writing this book I received assistance from many sources, and it is a great
pleasure to express my thanks here. At Cornell University Press, Alison Kalett
originally suggested this project and guided it through the initial stages. Michael
McGandy provided expert advice as I wrote the manuscript, seeing it through
to completion. Ange Romeo-Hall and Marian Rogers played vital roles in the
production process. I am grateful to them all.
In addition to the intellectual debts acknowledged in the notes, I have bene-
fited from conversations with many colleagues. Mario del Pero provided me with
a chance to present elements of this work at the University of Bologna, and Niu
Ke’s invitation allowed me to trade ideas with scholars at Beijing University and
the Beijing Forum. Anonymous referees helped me frame the book’s argument
and improve its presentation, and Frank Ninkovich gave the entire manuscript a
thorough, insightful reading. Part of chapter 5 was previously published in Third
World Quarterly 27 (2006), and I thank the journal for permission to incorporate
that material here.
Fordham University provided essential resources as well. A Faculty Fellow-
ship allowed me to dedicate several months to writing, and my colleagues in
the University Library, the History Department, the Fordham College at Rose
Hill Dean’s Office, and the Office of Academic Affairs all supported this work.
Samanta Brihaspat, Sean Byrnes, Patrick Hege, and Philip Pilmar provided excel-
lent research assistance.
My greatest thanks go to my family. My parents, Nancy and Peter Latham, and
my sister, Jules Latham, were sources of encouragement throughout. This book
is dedicated with love and gratitude to my wife, Jennifer Briggs Latham, and our
daughters, Maile and Anya.