Argentina: An Economic Chronicle. How one of the richest countries in the world lost its wealth

"Argentina started the 20th Century as one of the richest ten country in the world. For a while its economic position in the world was comparable to that of, say, Germany today. It had a per capita income much higher than that of Japan and Italy and comparable to that of France. However, it ended the century on the eve of the largest default in history.
How did this dramatic change come about? In this unusual book, not based on library research but mostly on first hand and direct observations, the author takes the reader through a fascinating ride through time. The reader is introduced to the concept of fiscal cycles and the economic landscape of this fascinating country. The book is written in a style that will make it accessible and interesting to a general reader."
Author: For 27 years, Vito Tanzi was a senior staff member of the International Monetary Fund. He was the director of the Fiscal Affairs Department of the IMF. He also was an Undersecretary for Economy and Finance in the Italian Government. A professional economist with a PhD from Harvard, he is considered a leading expert in fiscal policy. The author of many books and hundreds of articles in professional journals, he has given a named "effect" to economics, the "Tanzi Effect". He has been a consultant to many international organizations including the United Nations, the World Bank, the European Commission, the European Central Bank, and the
Inter-American Development Bank.
In 1994 he was President of the International Institute of Public Finance of which he is now Honorary President.