Cultural foundations of economic integration in Latin America

The problem. Several Latin American countries have attempted economic integration. Results, however, were not successful as anticipated. This was partly in tribute to overemphasis on the political and economic dimensions of integration to the neglect of the cultural one. The purpose of this study was to consider the role of culture in the integrational schemes of Latin America, and to assess its impact on current and prospective schemes in the region.; Methodology. The study employed a mixture of methods, notably analytical, comparative and historical. It relied on selected empirical primary and secondary sources, including governmental documents and United Nations system surveys and publications. In addition, it utilized numerous secondary sources including recent books and articles on Latin American affairs.; Results. The study confirmed the neglect of the cultural factor as a foundation of economic integration in Latin America and a means to bonding together Latin American countries and converging their respective national economic objectives.