Unequal Exchange with Differential Ground Rent

Historiography on Latin American dependency theory highlights its importance between the sixties and eighties, primarily focusing on Chilean and Brazilian perspectives. This focus overshadows the diverse dependentistas works in other Latin American countries, such as Uruguay. Studying dependency theory in Uruguay enriches our understanding of Latin American social sciences and the theory itself, revealing an original interpretation involving unequal exchange and differential ground rent in international trade. This work outlines the main tenets of a Uruguayan interpretation of dependency theory that emphasizes on the importance of the theory of differential ground rent and its interpretation of underdevelopment and dependency. A theoretical comparison with Ruy Mauro Marini, Ernesto Laclau, André Gunder Frank, Fernando H. Cardoso and Enzo Faletto shows Uruguayan theory’s distinctive dimensions. It offers a unique definition of dependency, nuanced compared to Marini’s, incorporates Laclau’s rent differential while emphasizing exogenous factors, and aligns partially with Cardoso and Faletto’s views, differing notably from Gunder Frank’s perspective

Latin Americans · Originality · Underdevelopment · Economic Theory and Policy · Politics and Society in Latin America · World Systems and Global Transformations