In Their Own Best Interest

“The insightful historical narrative of the interplay between altruism and realism over the 20th century, the case studies, the trenchant analysis, and the clear, jargon-free exposition make this a highly recommended read.”—Choice

“In this subtle and searing critique of U.S. efforts to ‘uplift’ Latin America, Lars Schoultz challenges us to question the fundamental tenets of the development industry that became entrenched in the U.S. foreign policy bureaucracy over the last century. Deeply researched and beautifully written, In Their Own Best Interest is a sobering and thought-provoking meditation on U.S. relations with Latin America.”—Piero Gleijeses, author of Visions of Freedom: Havana, Washington, Pretoria, and the Struggle for Southern Africa, 1976–1991

“Schoultz’s outstanding book does a monumental job of tracing Washington’s compulsion to improve our Latin American neighbors, whether they like it or not. Schoultz’s extraordinary account of U.S. policymaking over the last one hundred years is compelling, with a richness of detail and characters that bring the history alive. A must-read for anyone interested in the history of our relations with our neighbors to the south.”—William M. LeoGrande, coauthor of Back Channel to Cuba: The Hidden History of Negotiations between Washington and Havana