Paper #868

Title:

Energy as an indicator of modernisation in Latin America by 1925

Authors:

M. del Mar Rubio Varas and Mauricio Folchi

Date:

May 2005

Abstract:

In absence of comparable macroeconomic indicators for most of the Latin American economies beyond the 1930s, this paper presents an estimate of the apparent consumption per head of coal and petroleum for 25 countries of Latin American and the Caribbean for the year 1925, doubling the number of countries for which energy consumption estimates were previously available. Energy consumption is then used as an indicator of economic modernisation. As a result, the paper provides the basis for a quantitative comparative analysis of modernisation performance beyond the few countries for which historical national accounts are available in Latin America.

Keywords:

Energy consumption, modernisation, Latin America, petroleum, coal

JEL codes:

N160, N760, Q430, O130

Area of Research:

Economic and Business History

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