Browsing by Autor "Manuel E. Contreras"

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Bolivia, 1900–39: Mining, Railways and Education
(Palgrave Macmillan, 2000) Manuel E. Contreras
During the first 40 years of this century, the Bolivian economy was a classic example of rapid export-led growth, based on tin exports. This new export expansion consolidated Bolivia’s entrance into the international market in the last third of the nineteenth century with the export of silver. However, Bolivia’s export base at the onset of the twentieth century was more diversified than it was to be by the end of the 1930s. In 1900, silver represented 36 per cent of Bolivia’s total exports, rubber represented 26 per cent, while the tin industry was responsible for the remaining 24 per cent. The relative importance of tin surpassed the importance of silver and rubber by 1903. Silver exports decreased significantly from 1905 onwards. Rubber exports remained stable until 1910, when they accounted for 37 per cent of total exports, but thereafter decreased, reaching 5 per cent in 1920.1
Debt, Taxes, and War: The Political Economy of Bolivia,<i>c</i>. 1920–1935
(Cambridge University Press, 1990) Manuel E. Contreras
During the first thirty years of this century the Bolivian economy provided a classic example of export-led growth. Mining, with tin at the forefront, responded to the stimulus of both world demand and price, and was the leading sector of the economy. Tin exports increased five-fold from 1900 to 1929, and Bolivia's share of world production more than doubled, accounting for approximately a quarter of total world production from 1918 to 1929.
From vanguards to rearguards: the evolution and challenges of Bolivian railway workers, <i>c</i> . 1907–1964
(Taylor & Francis, 2025) Manuel E. Contreras
Maestros en Bolivia: formación, remuneración y políticas
(2025) Manuel E. Contreras
Este artículo analiza la profesión docente en Bolivia a partir de tres fuentes: i) una revisión de literatura histórica, etnográfica y de economía de la educación; ii) la evidencia experiencial y testimonial del reciente Congreso Plurinacional de Educación; y iii) microdatos de hogares 2006-2023. Sostengo que la combinación de formación única y pública con un régimen salarial macropresupuestario elevó credenciales y condiciones laborales, pero no cerró la cadena formación → práctica de aula → aprendizaje debido a una selectividad de ingreso insuficiente, un acompañamiento situado escaso y una progresión profesional débilmente vinculada a evidencias. Los hallazgos incluyen: ajuste de cupos y admisiones (2010-2023) con tasas de graduación cercanas al 80%; déficits en seguimiento en aula y portafolios; rediseño de la evaluación docente en 2023 con prueba disciplinar; y limitaciones de literacidad. La contribución de este texto es articular esa evidencia en una agenda de cuatro frentes: elevar la selectividad; transformar la formación continua hacia el acompañamiento en escuela; instalar una carrera por evidencias con incentivos preferentemente colegiales; y gobernar con transparencia y datos abiertos. En línea con la experiencia regional, el énfasis se desplaza de “más cursos y más salario” a mejor práctica y a incentivos vinculados con resultados verificables.
Tracks of change: The rise and fall of Bolivia's National Railway Company (ENFE): 1965–1995
(SAGE Publishing, 2024) Manuel E. Contreras
This article examines the Bolivian State Railway Company (ENFE) from its inception in 1965 to its privatisation in 1995, focusing on its structural evolution, growth, and modernisation in the context of Bolivian state capitalism. It underscores ENFE's substantial contribution to Bolivia's economy, particularly in freight and passenger transport. By comparing ENFE’s labour productivity and financial ratios with other Latin American state railways, this study reveals ENFE's distinct capability for revenue generation due to limited road competition. Key primary sources include ENFE annual reports, World Bank loan documents, archival correspondence, transport studies, and the local press. This article argues that ENFE successfully addressed transportation challenges and contributed to Bolivian economic development. These findings provide valuable insights into Bolivian economic history and Latin American railway historiography through a case study of a strategic state-owned enterprise, illustrating the potential of leveraging World Bank sources for future comparative research on Latin American railways.