|
|
Introduction
Divine Nature gave the fields, human art built the cities.
—Marcus Terentius Varro (116 BC–27 BC), Roman naval officer and man of letters who wrote hundreds of scholarly pieces of which only two books survive: De Lingua Latina and De Re Rustica.
Amid the harsh realities of daily life that confront city residents in Latin America, there are some reasons for optimism concerning the level and quality of essential public services citizens can expect from local government. Although rapid globalization constrains governmental action in Latin America, there is evidence that local governments within the continent can make a positive difference in the lives of city residents. Latin America has high levels of urbanization, and the region’s cities struggle with an array of problems, including air pollution, crime, traffic jams, inadequate public transportation, and precarious housing.