THE RIGHT KIND OF REVOLUTION THE RIGHT KIND OF REVOLUTION Modernization, Development, and U.S. Foreign Policy from the Cold War to the Present Michael E. Latham CORNELL UNIVERSITY PRESS ITHACA AND LONDON Copyright © 2011 by Cornell University All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in a review, this book, or parts thereof, must not be reproduced in any form without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address Cornell University Press, Sage House, 512 East State Street, Ithaca, New York 14850. First published 2011 by Cornell University Press First printing, Cornell Paperbacks, 2011 Printed in the United States of America Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Latham, Michael E. The right kind of revolution : modernization, development, and U.S. foreign policy from the Cold War to the present / Michael E. Latham. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-0-8014-4604-7 (cloth : alk. paper) ISBN 978-0-8014-7726-3 (pbk. : alk. paper) 1. United States—Foreign relations—1945–1989. 2. United States—Foreign relations—1989– I. Title. E840.L38 2011 327.73009'04—dc22 2010029822 Cornell University Press strives to use environmentally responsible suppliers and materials to the fullest extent possible in the publishing of its books. Such materials include vegetable-based, low-VOC inks and acid-free papers that are recycled, totally chlorine-free, or partly composed of nonwood fibers. For further informa- tion, visit our website at www.cornellpress.cornell.edu. Cloth printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Paperback printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 For Jennifer, Maile, and Anya Contents Acknowledgments ix Introduction 1 1. Setting the Foundations: Imperial Ideals, Global War, and Decolonization 10 2. Take-Off: Modernization and Cold War America 36 3. Nationalist Encounters: Nehru’s India, Nasser’s Egypt, and Nkrumah’s Ghana 65 4. Technocratic Faith: From Birth Control to the Green Revolution 93 5. Counterinsurgency and Repression: Guatemala, South Vietnam, and Iran 123 6. Modernization under Fire: Alternative Paradigms, Sustainable Development, and the Neoliberal Turn 157 7. The Ghosts of Modernization: From Cold War Victory to Afghanistan and Iraq 186 Bibliography 221 Index 239 Acknowledgments In writing this book I received assistance from many sources, and it is a great pleasure to express my thanks here. At Cornell University Press, Alison Kalett originally suggested this project and guided it through the initial stages. Michael McGandy provided expert advice as I wrote the manuscript, seeing it through to completion. Ange Romeo-Hall and Marian Rogers played vital roles in the production process. I am grateful to them all. In addition to the intellectual debts acknowledged in the notes, I have bene- fited from conversations with many colleagues. Mario del Pero provided me with a chance to present elements of this work at the University of Bologna, and Niu Ke’s invitation allowed me to trade ideas with scholars at Beijing University and the Beijing Forum. Anonymous referees helped me frame the book’s argument and improve its presentation, and Frank Ninkovich gave the entire manuscript a thorough, insightful reading. Part of chapter 5 was previously published in Third World Quarterly 27 (2006), and I thank the journal for permission to incorporate that material here. Fordham University provided essential resources as well. A Faculty Fellow- ship allowed me to dedicate several months to writing, and my colleagues in the University Library, the History Department, the Fordham College at Rose Hill Dean’s Office, and the Office of Academic Affairs all supported this work. Samanta Brihaspat, Sean Byrnes, Patrick Hege, and Philip Pilmar provided excel- lent research assistance. My greatest thanks go to my family. My parents, Nancy and Peter Latham, and my sister, Jules Latham, were sources of encouragement throughout. This book is dedicated with love and gratitude to my wife, Jennifer Briggs Latham, and our daughters, Maile and Anya.