This historical study traces the process of state-building in Colombia from the struggle for independence, territorial consolidation and reform in the 19th century, to economic development and social and political democratization in the 20th century.

This history of Colombia tells the remarkable story of a country that has consistently defied modern Latin American stereotypes - a country where military dictators are virtually unknown, where the political left is congenitally weak, and where urbanization and industrialization have spawned no lasting populist movement. There is more to Colombia than the drug trafficking and violence that have recently gripped the world's attention. In the face of both cocaine wars and guerrilla conflict, the country has maintained steady economic growth as well as a relatively open and democratic government based on a two-party system. It has also produced an impressive body of art and literature. This study traces the process of state-building in Colombia from the struggle for independence, territorial consolidation and reform in the 19th century to economic development and social and political democratization in the 20th.