Latin America has often been condemned to failure. Neither poor enough to evoke Africas moral crusade nor as explosively booming as India & China it has largely been overlooked by the West. Yet this vast continent home to half a billion people the worlds largest reserves of arable land & 8.5 percent of global oil is busily transforming its political & economic landscape. This book argues that rather than failing the test Latin Americas efforts to build fairer & more prosperous societies make it one of the worlds most vigorous laboratories for capitalist democracy. In many countries including Brazil Chile & Mexico democratic leaders are laying the foundations for faster economic growth & more inclusive politics as well as tackling deep-rooted problems of poverty inequality & social injustice. They face a new challenge from Hugo Chavezs oil-fueled populism & much is at stake. Failure will increase the flow of drugs & illegal immigrants to the United States & Europe jeopardize stability in a region rich in oil & other strategic commodities & threaten some of the worlds most majestic natural environments. Drawing on Michael Reids many years of reporting from inside Latin Americas cities presidential palaces & shantytowns the book provides a vivid immediate & informed account of a dynamic continent & its struggle to compete in a globalized world.