This is an examination of the social structures that shape Latin American societies. Knowledge of demography, rural and urban life, and ethnic and status relationships is critical for understanding the political and economic fabric of those societies. Although the author draws on materials from all the social sciences, the primary frame of reference is sociological. The book presents, in an organized form, the findings from an ever-growing number of studies about Latin American society.

The book proceeds from a brief introduction of the political and economic patterns of Latin America to an examination of the country as a social system. The focus of the text is an analysis of social processes and structures as well as the major social institutions. A prevailing theme is the extent to which Latin America is a society in conflict and change; among the questions raised are the interrelationships between different systems: How does the ethnic structure relate to stratification based on criteria other than race? What avenues of mobility are to be found in the class system? What are the linkages between rapid urbanization and the economy? How is the power distributed between the older oligarchy and the new commercial and industrial elites? What is the role of an emerging middle class? To what degree can urban migrants move beyond their marginal position in a competitive urban society? How effectively can Latin America function in the international scene?