Luis L. Schenoni

Luis L. Schenoni, an Associate Professor at UCL and author specializing in 19th-century Latin American history, unpacks how wars shaped state formation in the region. He proposes a compelling 'coercion-extraction cycle' that suggests warfare led to bureaucratic growth and legitimacy struggles. Schenoni challenges anti-bellicist traditions and illustrates why battles matter in state-building. He highlights Latin America's unique role as a testing ground for these theories, sharing intriguing comparisons on warfare intensity and the divergent postwar paths of Argentina and Paraguay.

Luis L. Schenoni, an associate professor at University College London and expert on Latin American political history, dives into how wars shaped state formation in 19th-century Latin America. He discusses the coercion-extraction cycle, illustrating how taxation and conscription strengthened bureaucratic capacity. Schenoni critiques the anti-Bellicist tradition and presents a nuanced view of how individual battles influenced legitimacy and tax morale. He draws compelling comparisons between Argentina's rise and Paraguay's collapse, revealing the profound long-term impacts of warfare on state development.