The cultural influence of France on Latin America, especially on Latin American elites, at the end of the nineteenth and the beginning of the twentieth century is generally well known. Less studied is the French economic influence in finance, trade, and direct investment in the region during this period, given the hegemonic economic predominance of Great Britain. Andrés Regalsky proposes to fill this gap in the literature with a focus on Argentina, describing the specific features of the French economic role — in particular, how it differed from that of the British. In addition, he highlights the relationship between French investors and national and local elites. Through his study, he hopes to raise new questions about the role of foreign investment generally and throw new light on established issues of debate and discussion.
The book is organized into three main sections. The first provides an overview of French external investments,...
